After The Storm
by Diva In The House
Summary: Sequel to "A Rainy Night In Jersey". House/OFC. House and Dr. Avery Matthews have a good thing going. Can a hopelessly damaged man and a long time single woman find happiness together? Slight season 5 spoilers.
1. Someone Like Me

**This is a sequel to "A Rainy Night In Jersey", a House/OC one-shot. I don't own House, but I do own Matthews.**

House awoke, bleary-eyed and vaguely aware that the other side of his bed was cool and empty. He smiled at the thought of the warmth and softness that had filled it only hours before. After a few minutes, he popped a couple of Vicodin and hauled himself out of bed.

Following his nose, he limped into the kitchen, finding his mug next to the coffeemaker. A note leaned against his mug.

_Greg:_

_Early meeting this morning. Coffee's fresh. See you when you get in._

_Avery_

House filled his mug and took a long sip. Avery's coffee was almost as good as Cameron's, and her company was a hell of a lot more welcome, too. They had met several months ago when she started as head of cardiology. She checked in on him one rainy night before she left, and they ended up getting a drink before she took him home. Every time it rained or stormed that summer, there was Avery. They developed a connection somewhere along the line, and by the end of the summer, she was giving him more than the occasional ride home.

Things were good between them, comfortable, even. Avery was in her mid-40s, settled in her career, never expressed interest in having children or getting married. This was fine by House, mostly. If it hadn't been for knowing Cuddy, he would have been suspicious of a woman like Avery. The only difference between the two women, really, was Cuddy's desire for children.

It did make him wonder, just a little. Avery was a stunning woman, and not just on the surface. She was tall, nearly coming to House's chin, slightly rounded and curvy, with skin the color of rich caramel and eyes the color of the coffee he was drinking. In addition, she had an easy, mellow way about her, a nearly perfect complement to House's own almost manic energy. She was a calming presence that he deeply appreciated, even if he never really told her so.

So what the hell was she doing hanging with him and how had she managed to stay single for so long? House wondered about this from time to time, often as they laid in bed together, his arm wrapped around her soft, luscious curves, Avery curled up against him, one leg thrown over his. She could do so much better than a cranky old cripple with a long time Vicodin habit, and yet…she seemed to like him. He didn't understand it, but that didn't mean he didn't like it, and if she wanted to continue showering him with attention, he sure as hell wasn't going to turn it down.

He finished off the rest of his coffee and set his mug in the sink. As much as he would have liked to linger, Cuddy would have his head again if he didn't show up at a reasonable hour. His team had a case that was proving to be very challenging, to say the least, and he wanted to make it in before they killed the guy…or the girl. Whichever. Damned if he could remember. It wasn't really relevant anyway.

Doctor Avery Matthews was already hard at work when her door opened with a bang. She had quickly learned that House never knocked. Ever. He limped in and stood in front of her desk. Today he was dressed in his standard jeans and running shoes, topped with a white t-shirt, dark blue button down dress shirt, and charcoal grey sport coat. The blue in his button down seemed to intensify his already impressive blue eyes, something she had noticed when she first showed up at his office to offer him a ride home one night. Initially she had only done it as a favor to Wilson, but over the ensuing months, she found herself liking his sharp, sarcastic wit, discussions about his cases, and stories about his team.

They had developed an easy rapport during that summer, and that rapport translated into the bedroom…or couch…or…wherever. Their relationship was more than friends-with-benefits, but not quite a typical boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, either. It didn't require defining, she supposed. She and House were past that stage of life, certainly. All she knew was that what they had worked.

"Need a consult, Matthews." House casually tossed the file on her desk, leaning forward on his cane and rocking back and forth. Avery put on her glasses and pulled out the scans, putting them up on her lightboard to get a closer look at them.

House came up behind her, a hand around her waist and his chin on her shoulder. "See anything yet?"

"Nothing's jumping out at me. Sorry, House. I don't think it's a cardiac issue." His scent wafted into her nostrils, a rich, spicy scent that he had taken to wearing since they'd been seeing each other.

"Mmm…damn. Thought I had something there." He leaned in a little closer, taking in her soft citrus scent. He had first noticed it that first night she drove him home, and always associated it with Avery. House lightly kissed her on the neck, then reached up for the scans. "Guess it's back to the whiteboard."

He picked up the case file and headed to the door before pausing and turning around. "Don't bother waiting for me tonight. I've got a feeling this case is going to be a real bitch."

"No problem. I'll just go home. You want me to save you some leftovers?"

He smiled, a genuine smile that lit up his rugged features. "Well, _yeah._ I don't plan on being here all night, you know. I'll probably be hungry." House winked at her in exaggerated fashion.

_That man's a mess._ Avery laughed as he left. "Go on, get back to your ducklings. Try not to kill your patient today."

"No promises…" And with that, he step-thumped out of her office.

House was quite a remarkable man, really. Tall, light, and handsome. A variation on her usual preferences, for sure. He was often a real pain in the ass at work, and while he wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine outside of work, he was often calmer and quieter, a little easier to deal with. Often he would sit at the piano with his ever-present glass of bourbon while she cooked, playing whatever came to his mind and beautiful, elegant fingers. Occasionally he would burst into song as he played, a rough, growling baritone that made Avery a little weak in the knees. Yes, she was easily swayed, and she knew it. The man had real talent, and probably would have made it as a musician if medicine hadn't somehow worked for him.

She couldn't see that happening, though. House was passionate about everything, indifferent about nothing, and couldn't understand anyone who didn't feel the same. That passion extended to Avery, especially in the bedroom, where he put those fingers to all kinds of uses. Those rough hands were always surprisingly gentle over her skin, and as for the rest of him…well, the man had _skills_. Avery was kind of surprised that House was still single at his age. Good for her, but, well, a bit odd. He was a difficult man, a bit complicated, and didn't seem terribly interested in long term commitments. That alone could account for a lot, as most women her age seemed desperate to get married and have children before they got too old. Avery always figured that she was just wired differently, since she never seemed to want any of those things. While that meant she spent a lot of years as a single woman, it also meant that she was free to do what she wanted, and if that meant spending her nights with a fine older man, so be it. Things could certainly be worse.

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	2. Something To Talk About

**Insert standard disclaimers here: SMUT alert. If that's not your thing, don't read. I also *still* don't own House, but I do own Matthews.**

Avery left that night after briefly touching base with House. As he predicted, he and his team were deeply wrapped up in their case. She offered a few suggestions and was met with the usual eye roll from House, her signal that it was time for her to go.

She threw together a quick pasta dish, packing up a large portion for House and putting the rest in a bowl for herself, pouring a glass of wine to go with. After significant channel surfing, she settled on some inane sitcom for background noise and enjoyed her meal. Just as she got settled, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Avery? It's your mom." Her mother's lilting Kenyan accent carried through the phone line.

"Hey, Mom, how are you? Everything okay with Dad?"

"Oh, yes, your father's fine. Now that I've convinced him to retire, he's doing much better." Avery's father was a longtime businessman in Chicago, building his business from the ground up. He was always reluctant to leave it for any length of time, and convincing him that it was time for him to retire was a long standing discussion between him and her mother. "How about you? How is Princeton?"

"Princeton's good, Mom. I've found my work groove, made some friends, met a guy…" Avery knew she wouldn't be able to sneak that one past her mother. While her mother had long ago accepted that Avery would never give them grandchildren, she still held out hope that her only daughter would not go through life alone.

"Really? So tell me about this…guy."

Avery took a deep breath, wondering how to start. "Well…he runs the diagnostics department, is double certified in nephrology and infectious disease…he's a little older than me, no ex-wives, no kids." She paused, trying to decide how much she should tell her mother. "He's a good guy. A little rough around the edges, but I really like him."

"Hmm…" She could hear the wheels turning in her mother's head. "Well, I suppose if you like him…"

"No, I probably won't marry this guy either, Mom. He doesn't seem like that kind of guy."

Her mother sighed. "Too bad. You shouldn't be single forever, Avery."

Avery rolled her eyes at her mother's delusional statement. "It's not the end of the world if I don't get married, Mom. Really, it's okay."

"Well, anyway…I didn't just call to pick apart your love life, you know." Her mother chuckled. "Your father and I were thinking about coming out for a visit. It's been so long since we've seen you, you know."

"I know, it's just been busy, you know? New job, new apartment, all that."

"Oh, I know that, darling. We just thought that since we had the time, we'd come see you."

"Great, I'd love to see you. When were you planning on coming?"

"Next weekend. We'd come in on Thursday night and leave Sunday afternoon."

Avery smiled. She was used to her parents dropping in on short notice. Her mother would drop in constantly when she was in Chicago. Even when she worked in Ann Arbor, they would make frequent weekend trips. "That sounds great, Mom. Call me when you've made all your arrangements."

"Of course. Well…I hate to make this so short, but I just wanted to check in. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom. See you soon."

They hung up and Avery sat back on the couch, drinking her wine. She wasn't quite sure if House was ready to meet her parents, or if she was ready for him to meet them. His own relationship with his parents had been strained, and even now he only spoke to his mother when she called him. Avery wasn't sure how he'd feel about meeting her parents. It wasn't like they were in a defined relationship, which would make introductions…interesting. Her mother would be no problem, but her father liked clear cut definitions, and he would not be pleased about what he saw as a pointless relationship.

Eventually Avery started to nod off on the couch, a sign that she needed to crawl into bed. There was no guarantee that House would show up tonight, anyway, depending on how his case was progressing and his own mood. When he and his team solved the case and sent the patient on his or her way, he would be elated, energized. However, when it was going poorly, or when they lost one, he was snarly, snappish, only wanting contact that he initiated. So much of House's ego was bound up in his work, and it worried Avery a little. She curled up under the covers, eyes drifting closed, hoping that all was progressing well for House and his team.

Not too long after Avery crawled into bed, she felt the mattress shift as House climbed in and pressed against her, kissing her neck and squeezing her around the waist.

"Hey, baby." Avery mumbled sleepily.

"Hey, yourself." House muttered and continued kissing her along her neck.

"How'd it go?"

"Mmm…She's not any worse. I guess she'll live til morning. Foreman's hanging out with her in case anything changes."

"Good…" Avery squeezed House's hand, turning over on her back to kiss House. "My mom called. She and my dad are planning on coming to visit next weekend."

"Really." House's tone was flat. "Do you plan on introducing me?"

"My mom knows about you already. I told her we weren't really serious, but you know moms…"

"Yeah, I know." His hand moved under her shirt to the velvety skin underneath. "Every time I talk to my mom, she asks me if I've put a ring on your finger yet."

Avery laughed as House's hands slid upward to her breast, lightly stroking the nipple. Her breath caught in her throat, encouraging House to further action. He moved closer, stripping Avery of her shirt and carelessly tossing it to the floor, stroking both nipples with his thumbs. Avery gasped and arched toward his touch. House kissed her jawline and captured her full, soft lips with his own, pushing his tongue into her mouth, tangling sweetly with her own.

She ran her hands lightly on his already bare back, sending shivers down his spine, a soft groan emitting from his lips. His mouth left her lips, tracing a line down her neck between her breasts, down her stomach, to the waistline of her underwear. She ran her fingers through his hair as he pressed small, soft kisses along the waistline, finally sliding them off her hips and down her legs until they were somewhere under the covers. House stroked her strong thighs, spreading them so he could get to the softness that lay between. He bent down, starting with his fingers, then switching to his tongue, slipping a finger deep inside her. Avery moaned loudly, arching her hips, seeking more of the pleasure House was giving.

Just as she was about to break, he pulled away and laid on top of her, flicking her nipples with his tongue. She nearly cried out at the sensation and grabbed his hair, pulling him close. He once again found her lips, kissing her so hard she thought he might leave bruises.

Bracing against him, Avery deftly rolled House over on his back, straddling him. He reached up to play with her breasts, bringing her nipples to their full hardness. She leaned down and placed the same brutal kiss on his lips as he had done to her just moments ago before sliding her way down his body. She stopped to stroke his chest, running her fingers over the wiry hair before moving her way down to quickly take off his boxers. She stroked him with her hand, then gently ran her tongue up his shaft. He growled with pleasure, taking a handful of her hair as she took him into her mouth.

House reached a point where he couldn't take any more, and he dragged Avery up close to him so that they were face to face. He entered her, and they stroked in hard, fast rhythm before collapsing on each other, panting with spent energy.

Soon after, they curled up against each other, nearly ready for sleep. House spoke first, his voice still rough after their activities.

"So…your parents want to meet me, huh?"

"Is that okay? I mean, if you don't want to, I understand. It's not like we're in a serious relationship or anything."

"Right…I'll think about it." He paused. "What if we were…you know…'serious'?"

Avery was baffled. "I didn't think that was your thing…"

"Not saying it is, but if it was…"

"Hmm…" Avery felt the need to turn on her Universal House Translator. Where was Wilson when you needed him? "It wouldn't be such a bad thing, I guess. We seem to have a pretty good thing going, you know?"

"Yeah…yeah, we do." House kissed Avery on the forehead before rolling over onto his back. "Well, good night. Probably won't see you until I get to work tomorrow."

"Good night, Greg."

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	3. Sit Down, You're Rocking The Boat

**Insert usual disclaimers here. Don't own House, own Matthews.**

Avery slipped out of bed the next morning, lightly kissing House on the forehead. The man already barely slept as it was, and she had no desire to disturb him. She took a minute to appraise him as he slept. His salt-and-pepper hair stuck out at odd angles, one arm thrown across his face, the other laying across his bare chest. Even in sleep, he seemed to be thinking, his face scrunched up, twitching slightly. _Does his mind EVER shut down?_ Avery thought how exhausting it must be to be constantly _on_.

As she ground coffee beans and measured water for the coffeemaker, Avery's mind ran over what House had said last night before they fell asleep. _What if we were…serious? _The question caught Avery off guard. She had to admit that even she had pondered the possibility before tossing it aside. Early on she had accepted that things with House would never progress much beyond their current state, and if she wanted more, she was definitely with the wrong guy. Now that House had mentioned it, though…that changed things a little. Just the fact that he had mentioned it at all tended to mean he had thought about it for a long time. He wasn't the sort of man to speak impulsively, not on personal matters, anyway.

Avery knew about Stacy, the infarction, and the fallout afterwards from conversations with Wilson. He didn't give her details, of course, but she managed to put it together. When she connected that with the allusions House made to his less-than-ideal childhood, it was no wonder he had trust and commitment issues. She decided she would just hang back and let House make up his mind about the direction of their relationship. Avery was fine with whatever direction it went, as long as it didn't end completely, although the idea that House might want more unnerved her a bit.

She was completely lost in thought when she felt House place a hand on her right hip, planting a kiss on the left side of her neck. He reached across her to grab a mug from the cabinet, filling it with fresh coffee and sugar. House took a deep sip, sighing appreciatively.

"Mmm…sweet and dark. Sounds like someone I know." He lightly nuzzled her neck again, taking in that sweet citrusy scent he liked so much.

Avery laughed softly, turning slightly to kiss House on the tip of his nose. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep." More often than not, the pain in House's leg woke him long before he was ready. Before Avery came along, he would spend an hour or so tossing and turning before finally giving up and heaving himself out of bed. His routine hadn't really changed much, but at least he had the added bonus these days of the promise of fresh coffee and the sight of Avery to greet him instead of silence and darkness. That alone was a great source of comfort to him, a comfort he was loathe to give up. It was a major reason why he had come to her place last night instead of going home.

There was more to his…relationship with Avery than the sex, definitely. The sex was beyond his expectations, had been so since that first night, when he could no longer resist her full-bodied charms. No, 'could no longer resist' wasn't quite right. 'Didn't want to resist' was more accurate. House had kept Avery at arm's length through the spring and summer, content to let her chase him, waiting to see how long she would keep offering him rides. It had all come together over pizza, during that wild thunderstorm. Her laughter, her smile, those deep brown eyes, her finger brushing along his lip when she removed that bit of sauce…

Damn. That had been quite a night.

Avery was on his mind ever since, and things had progressed to their current state. They would stay over at each others' places, convenience the deciding factor. She seemed to enjoy his place, where he would play piano, unwinding as he smelled the delicious cooking smells that now graced his kitchen. He knew she liked his singing, so he would throw in a bit of that, too, just to watch her reaction. Occasionally she would join in, her soft, mellow alto blending with his low, rough baritone in damn near perfect harmony. He didn't mind her place, either, even though he didn't have his instruments to occupy his mind and hands. Her place was a bright, airy, open space, filled with comforts, including that unbelievably plush bed. He slept better here than he did in his own bed. Not much better, but still, he'd take what he could get on that front.

House smiled to himself as he watched Avery move gracefully around her kitchen, the hem of her nightshirt just brushing above mid-thigh, her long legs flexing as she wandered around getting ready for the day. He leaned against the kitchen counter and just watched her. It was times like this that he wondered what it might be like to make things with Avery a bit more…permanent. Nothing crazy like getting hitched, for sure. He wasn't certain that Avery wanted to get married. If she had, House was pretty sure she would have done so already. But maybe she wouldn't object to…something more, but he wasn't sure what that something more would entail. He had barely touched on it last night before they fell asleep, trying to gauge Avery's feelings on the matter.

He didn't get much, and House wasn't sure if that bothered him or not. This wasn't a familiar situation for him at all. Things with Stacy had just sort of…happened, without much forethought. _Yeah, and look how that turned out._ The idea of moving forward with Avery scared him a little. No, it scared him a _lot_, far more than he cared to let on. He trusted Avery to a certain extent, more than he had trusted anyone in a long time, but something in him wanted to hold back, just a little, just in case she didn't return his feelings.

House decided that their status didn't really matter right now. She mattered to him too much to let her go completely, and if things never progressed past their present point, it would be okay. He needed more time to figure things out anyway.

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	4. When The Levee Breaks

**Disclaimers: Don't own most of it. Only Dr. Avery Matthews belongs to me.**

Wilson sat in his office, listening to the activity going on outside it. He heard House and his team running back and forth all day long, the patient having taken a turn for the worse that morning. House seemed more agitated than usual as he barked orders to his team. Wilson swore he even heard the oversized ball crash into the wall on more than one occasion, accompanied by a slew of curse words that would have made a trucker blush.

He heard a knock on the door, one that was increasingly familiar. It wasn't House, of course. He would have simply barged in and plopped himself on the couch. No, this was softer, with three distinct taps. _Matthews, _Wilson thought with a smile. A visit from her, however brief, was always welcome as far as Wilson was concerned.

"Come in! Door's open."

Matthews poked her head in, looking around before finally entering the office. "House in here?"

Wilson shook his head. "Nope, haven't seen him all day, now that I think of it. That case of his must really be keeping him busy."

"Must be." Matthews sat down on the couch, only taking up the edge. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

"Of course." Wilson leaned back in his chair.

"Actually…it's kind of about House." Matthews twisted her long fingers, looking a little unsure for the first time since Wilson had known her. _If he did something stupid to hurt her…Leave it to House to screw up a good thing._ Her face softened into a slight smile, followed by a small chuckle. "I think he wants to step things up a little."

_What? What's that supposed to mean? That doesn't sound like House at all._ Wilson squinted at Matthews and tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean, 'step things up a little'?"

Matthews explained to Wilson about her parents' plan to come visit, which had eventually led to House's question.

"Interesting…" Wilson nodded, deep in thought. "You know, he wouldn't have said it if he weren't…"

"…thinking about it for a while. That's kind of what I thought." She rose with cat-like grace from the couch. "Thanks for the…consult."

Wilson watched her walk away, admiring the view as she left his office. Not that he'd ever tell House that, of course. Whether things were serious or not, House still wouldn't hesitate to rip Wilson's head off if he even _thought_ he was checking her out.

He pondered House's statement. Just that fact that he said anything qualified as bold and daring for House. Wilson knew that Matthews represented House's last chance at a decent relationship, and he was secretly pleased that Matthews had voiced her concerns to him. She seemed a bit…not damaged, exactly, but…guarded. If she had been knocked around a bit, it could explain why she treated House with such delicacy and care. Wilson was grateful for it, relieved that he was no longer the only one in charge of the care and feeding of Gregory House.

House stood in front of his whiteboard, cane hooked over the top, leaning on his left leg, tapping the marker thoughtfully against his lip. Suddenly the list of symptoms made no damn sense, and Taub had come forward with an abuse report from Social Services, which served to further muck up the works. This case had become too damned personal, and he could feel the rage bubble inside him, clouding his normally logical thought processes.

Seeing nothing new, he limped into his office and plopped in his chair, tossing his oversized ball up and down into the air. He never should have read that report. The details had stirred memories he never wanted to deal with, and the rage continued to build inside him. If he could get his hands on the father…

"_FUCK!!!!"_ House flung the ball as hard as he could between the wall that separated his and Wilson's offices. It bounced back, knocking over several items on his desk and making one hell of a racket. All of a sudden he needed to get away from this office, this case, this…everything. He decided to pay a visit somewhere he last visited when he sent Stacy back to her husband. He stomped out of his office as quickly as he could toward the elevators, avoiding both Wilson's and Matthews' offices. House didn't need anyone following him on this journey.

Matthews was back at work in her office, going over budget reports and requests for consults, thinking about her conversation with Wilson. He had confirmed what she already knew, making things a little easier for her. She wondered if House knew what a treasure he had in Wilson. It was a rare thing for a person to stick with you through as much as House put Wilson through, for as long as Wilson had. Except for a brief period when Wilson just had to walk away, those two had been friends for at least 15 years, maybe even 20. At times, Matthews felt like the interloper, as House and Wilson volleyed and parried, full of inside jokes and obscure references, speaking a language no one else understood. She knew she occupied a special place in House's life, but she could never hope to replace Wilson, and she wasn't foolish enough to try. She figured House already didn't have enough people in his life that cared for him, so every person counted.

A knock at her office door pulled her from her thoughts. "Who is it?"

"It's Foreman. Can I come in a minute?"

"It's open."

Foreman walked in, wearing an expression of equal parts frustration and concern. "Have you seen House?"

Matthews shook her head. "I haven't seen him all day, sorry. Is there something I can help with?"

"No, sorry." Foreman frowned in annoyance. "I've got some test results for him, and he's not in his office, not answering his cell, not answering his pager, and doesn't seem to be in any of his usual hiding places. Sorry to bother you." He closed the door, and Matthews could hear him directing the other two doctors in House's absence.

Matthews returned to her work, but was increasingly distracted by thoughts of House. There were very few places here at the hospital where one could get away from everything, and she certainly didn't know them all. She decided it was time to pay another visit to Wilson.

She walked past House's office on the way to Wilson's, noticing the disarray that lay just inside. House's oversized ball lay on the floor near the door, and his desk was even messier than usual, small objects scattered all over. _Something set him off…_She hurried to Wilson's office, hoping for answers.

Matthews burst in without knocking, catching Wilson by surprise. He arched an eyebrow at her and commented, "He's really rubbing off on you. Guess I'd better start keeping a closer eye on my lunch from now on."

"Sorry." Matthews was a little embarrassed at her blustery entrance. "Foreman just stopped by my office, looking for House. Then I passed by his office, and the place is a wreck. He's not answering his cell or his pager."

Wilson looked thoughtful for a moment. He was pretty sure he knew where House was, but he hadn't been up there in years, not since he sent Stacy back to her husband years before. "Have you ever been up to the roof?"

House leaned against the railing, looking out over the PPTH parking lot, fists clenched, head bent down. If the roof hadn't been so damned difficult to get to, he'd come up here more often. The need to run away from everyone and everything hadn't been so strong since…well, since Stacy. This whole damned case just pushed all his buttons, and he knew he'd explode if he didn't get away. That's when he had shut off his cell phone and his pager and come up here. There was nothing going on that his team couldn't handle, and House was sure that Foreman was perfectly capable of directing traffic until he calmed down enough to return.

So much had happened in his childhood that he just wasn't willing to revisit. This case, this kid, had managed to dreg all those memories back to the forefront. The details of the report shook him like nothing else had in ages. The look that passed between Thirteen and Taub when Taub presented the report just made it worse for him. House could do without his team making connections between him and their patient, and in defense, he had angrily sent them out to do more tests while Foreman got more information from the father. _Not that the son-of-a-bitch would tell the truth anyway. Lying sack of shit._

House thought he heard a noise behind him, and turned to see Matthews…Avery slowly coming through the door. Dammit. Wilson must have told her about this super-secret hiding place. She came up alongside him, leaning over the railing, staring straight ahead.

"What brings you up here?" House tried to force a light tone, even though he already knew he wasn't going to be able to get anything past Avery. It was one of her better qualities, but it wasn't one he appreciated right this minute.

Avery shrugged. "Foreman was trying to hunt you down, and you weren't in any of the usual places. He even tried to look for you in the clinic."

House snorted. "He's more of an idiot than I thought. I wouldn't go there if my life depended on it."

They were silent for a bit, until House broke it again. "This case…it's a little tougher than I bargained for." He looked down at his hands, finally unclenching them and intertwining his fingers. "I…I guess I just had to get away for a while."

Avery reached out and rubbed House's upper arm, causing him to jump and move away slightly. "It's okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't really want to."

All of a sudden House realized he…wanted to. He wanted to spill his guts to Avery. He trusted her, and he wanted to unload, share his pain in a way he'd never been able to with anyone else. Instead he pulled her into his arms and held her close, shaking slightly from the emotion that flowed through him.

"Thanks." His voice was rough as he stroked her back, holding her tightly.

"For what?"

"For…finding me. For giving a damn about me."

Avery smiled and laid her head on House's chest. "Of course I give a damn. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

House didn't have the words to express his relief and gratitude. He could feel a few more bricks of his emotional walls come tumbling down as he stood on this rooftop, with this woman. It was overwhelming.

Finally, the emotional tide seemed to ebb, and House released Avery from his grasp. "Come on, woman. I think we've both still got work to do."

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	5. What Lies Beneath

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Once again, I don't own the House folks. Matthews is my creation.**

House stood out on his office balcony that evening, watching the sun set, puffing on a cigar. Taub, of all people, had been the one to find the final piece of the puzzle. The girl would be fine…fine enough to go home, anyway. She would go home with her father, and there was really nothing to be done about that. Without sufficient evidence, there could be no further investigation, just like the previous report had stated. _Charges dropped due to insufficient evidence._ The bastards. House knew all too well how easily abuse could be hidden, cloaked as 'discipline'.

Taub seemed to know, too. House wasn't sure what his story was, but he was sure that _something_ happened to him. A man doesn't react as strongly as Taub did without roots in something. But that was a mystery that could wait for another day. Right now, House was beat, plain and simple. He only had two things on his mind—food and sleep. Okay, maybe a third thing, but she wasn't a thing. Far from it. He smiled as he flipped open his cell to call her.

"Matthews."

"Hey, you."

Avery smiled upon hearing House's voice. He sounded calmer than he had earlier up on the roof. "Hey, baby. How's it going?"

"Better. We're wrapping things up. You wanna grab some dinner?"

"Sure." Avery was a little surprised. House was a bit of a hermit, and they rarely went out anywhere. "You have anything in mind?"

"Mmm…not sure. Might be one of those surprise thingies."

She laughed, that sweet melodious sound that House loved. "Surprises are good, I guess. Shall I meet you at your office?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you in a while."

"Be there soon." Avery paused, catching herself before she said 'love you'.

"Bye." House paused before hanging up. For some reason he had almost said 'love you'.

House considered this as he took a long puff on his cigar. Was it possible he was falling for Avery? It had been so long since he'd felt anything resembling love that he wasn't sure he recognized it. Hell, he wasn't sure he would know it if it bit him on the ass. Jesus. He _was _screwed up.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Taub approach, sliding back the door to the balcony. He looked as weary as House felt.

"Charting's done. I'm going home."

House nodded. "Have a good night."

As Taub turned to leave, House stopped him. "Hey, you got a minute?"

Taub regarded House suspiciously. "I suppose…"

"Grab yourself a cigar. Bottom desk drawer. Might as well grab the bourbon while you're at it."

Taub got both items, along with a couple of glasses that House inexplicably had stashed in the drawer. He stepped out onto the balcony, cutting the end of the cigar and lighting up while House poured them both a shot or so of bourbon.

"That was a good catch today. Must have been channeling Kutner."

Taub smiled slightly at the mention of his fallen friend's name. "Maybe. I prefer to think I came up with it all by myself, but…"

"Whatever it was, it was still good."

The men sipped and puffed in silence before House spoke again. "This one was personal for you too, wasn't it?"

Taub cast a hard glance at House. "Nothing like that happened to me."

House rolled his eyes. "Right. Friend of a friend who knew someone. I get it."

Taub fell silent as he drained his bourbon and stubbed his cigar. "I need to get home. Rachel's waiting for me. See you tomorrow, House."

"Night, Taub."

_Well, so much for that_. House didn't really think he'd get anything out of the normally taciturn Taub, but he thought it was worth a shot. He put the mystery aside as he finished his bourbon and cigar. Avery would be here before too long, and he was ready to get the hell out of this hospital and as far away from this particular case as he could.

Just as he was stubbing out his cigar, he heard his office door open. Avery entered, casually dressed in a clingy knit top, dark wash boot cut jeans, and lug-soled boots under her dark wool peacoat. Gorgeous, as always. House was still amazed that this stunning creature still cared to share his space after all this time. He was sure that she would find someone better, someone more deserving of all she had to offer.

She strolled up to him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, wrinkling her nose slightly when she smelled and tasted the cigar on him.

"Baby, have you been licking an ashtray? Those cigars are beyond nasty."

House chuckled a little at Avery's distasteful expression. "Burned one with Taub. Seemed like this case needed one." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Whatever. It's still nasty."

"And yet…" House pressed his lips a little harder to hers. "You're still here."

Avery laughed a little. "Of course…where else would I be?"

"I can think of a few places." House's teasing grin had a hint of evil in it. "_None _of them have anything to do with this office." He pressed a small kiss to her deliciously citrus-scented neck.

"Mmm…" Avery lifted her chin to allow House better access to her neck. "How about we get food first. We'll…discuss the rest."

Avery and House sat across from each other at the Chinese restaurant, casually chatting in their easy way as they enjoyed their meal. House would occasionally reach across to snag a piece of Avery's orange beef, which earned him a smack on the hand from Avery's chopsticks. She reached across for a bit of his sweet and sour shrimp, as he howled in mock protest. To any casual observer, they looked like any other couple out for dinner on a Friday night. It all seemed so gloriously ordinary, and it dawned on House what he had been missing all these years by holing himself up in that damned apartment, with only his piano and his bourbon for company. And Wilson. Oh, and there was that rat Steve McQueen for a while. Other than that, though, it had been a solidly solitary existence, one he had been convinced he wanted.

The more time he spent with Avery though, the more he realized how much he wanted…no, _craved_ the contact he had deprived himself of for so long. He hated to think what would happen if she weren't in his life. There would be a gaping hole, one someone could probably drive a semi-truck through. He didn't even want to think about the hole it would leave in his heart if Avery weren't there. That scared him, almost as much as the idea of moving forward with Avery did. _Damned if I do and damned if I don't. _

Avery felt House's eyes boring into her from across the table. She swallowed the bite in her mouth and tilted her head at him. "Are you alright over there? You're going to hurt yourself if you keep thinking so hard."

A full smile lit across House's face, and some other force took over as he reached across the table, taking Avery's hand in his and lightly stroking it with his thumb. "I'm as fine as I can be." He released her and sat back against the back of the vinyl booth.

It was the truth, more or less. He'd be a lot more fine if he knew where he stood with her. But the night was young, even if he wasn't, and he had plenty of time to show Avery where she stood with him, even if he couldn't quite make the words come out just yet.

**Will House just come out with it? Or will Avery cave first? Watch this space for further updates. :)**


	6. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

**Here we go again...SMUT alert. Not your thing, don't read. House isn't mine, Matthews is.**

Avery and House drove back to House's place in silence. It was a comfortable silence, born of the understanding they had developed with each other. He would rant and rave all day long about the idiots in the clinic, his damn team, that she-devil Cuddy, his stupid damn lying patient, but when it came to the personal, House wasn't particularly loquacious. Avery wasn't bothered in the least. House always spoke up when it mattered, and she preferred that to a bunch of idle chit-chat.

House seemed like he was on edge all night, but not an angry edge. It was a mood Avery had never seen on him. If she didn't know him better, she'd say he was…nervous. She'd never seen him nervous, and that worried her a bit. Avery decided it would be better to let it go and see how it all played out.

She still couldn't believe she had almost tacked on that 'love you' at the end of their phone conversation earlier. It just seems to slip so naturally from her lips. Was it possible that she was falling for this cranky old bastard? Sure, but she so rarely saw that side of him. It was the sharp wit, the impossibly blue eyes, those hands, that voice…that was what drew her in and kept her there. Once in a great while, he would open up a bit, just enough to let her see what was on his mind, if not always his heart. That's what had kept her from casually dropping that 'love you' into their conversation. Avery was quite sure he wasn't ready for that, if he ever would be.

They pulled up and parked outside House's apartment. Both exited her car, a light snow just starting to fall, early for this time of year. It dusted Avery's hair and coat, sticking to it before slowly melting. As the snow fell around them, a thought occurred to House. If things kept going as they were, this might be the first Christmas he wouldn't be spending with Wilson and Chinese food. Avery and Chinese food sounded like a damn fine combination to him. After all, it seemed to be working for them so far.

Then there was the matter of her parents. House didn't know what all that would entail. That could change some plans, and he wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or not. _Probably getting ahead of myself on that one. One step at a time, House._

His mind bounced back and forth through various thoughts about Avery, meeting her parents, the case, the fortune cookie at the restaurant, Avery, and that 'love you' he had come so close to dropping so casually into their conversation earlier. Well, he _did_ say he wanted to get more serious, didn't he? Well, no, he hadn't actually _said_ it, but Avery was a smart woman, he was sure she'd gotten the message, but she hadn't really _done_ anything with that message. Bah, this was getting too damned high school for House's liking. They had a good thing…no, a _GREAT _thing, and he had no desire to step on some hidden land mine and blow the whole damn thing to pieces.

He unlocked the apartment and let them in. The weekend stretched out before them, and House knew how he wanted to kick it off. He'd known since she sought him out on the roof earlier. She had come up there, so quietly, not wanting to lecture him, not overcoming him with concern. Avery was just…_there_, and he was so grateful. She had no idea what that meant to him. Hell, she had no idea what _she _meant to him. He fully intended to change that.

Avery was hanging up her coat when House came limping up behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her hair aside so he could kiss her long, elegant neck. He started where her neck and shoulder met, slowly pressing little wet kisses up toward her hairline, deeply inhaling that citrus scent as he went.

"Mmm…hello there…" Avery chuckled, a low, husky sound.

"Hello yourself." House slipped his hands under Avery's shirt, stroking the velvety soft skin beneath.

Avery gasped softly. "You sure you want to start that here?"

"_Very_ sure." House guided Avery until she was leaning against the apartment door, his body fully pressed against hers. She could feel his hardness as she pulled him in for a deep kiss, their tongues battling each other for control.

Avery's hands drifted to his coat, slipping it off his shoulders and onto the floor. The sport coat quickly joined it, and she started working the buttons of his shirt, slowly undoing them one by one, exposing the chest hair she loved to run her fingers through. House shivered slightly as she did so, shrugging the shirt off his shoulders so that he was bare from the waist up.

"Hmm…something doesn't seem quite right here…" House slipped Avery's top over her head, and she raised her arms so that he was able to slip it off in one fluid motion. The top joined the ever-growing pile of clothing on the floor. It revealed a rose-colored lace bra, a perfect blend with her caramel-colored skin, just revealing the tops of her full breasts. House left a trail along the top of her bra with his tongue as he stroked the nipples underneath the thin material. Avery cried out softly with pleasure, arching her back, her body demanding more.

As much as House wanted to slam her up against the door and take her right there, he could feel his right leg starting to give from the lack of support. He guided Avery away from the door to his leather couch, laying her down so that her head was on the arm, her own arms over her head. The combination of leather and citrus was heady, spurring House on as he left a trail of soft kisses down her stomach, stopping at the waistband of her jeans. She quickly kicked off her shoes as he undid her jeans, pushing them down over her hips and off her body.

The sight that greeted House was almost more than he could take. Avery's eyes were hooded with desire, her lips slightly parted, chest heaving slightly. He took in every inch of her before finally straddling her, leaving a wet trail between her breasts before popping the front closure, her breasts softly spilling out of the bra. He lightly bit first one nipple, then the other, listening to Avery gasp and wriggle with delight.

House grinned to himself, sliding down her body, leaving wet kisses all along the way until he came to her underwear. He teased her, slipping one finger just inside the waistband until she arched her back, practically begging him for _more…God, Greg, MORE…_

He reached inside and started stroking her, feeling her wetness beneath his fingers. From there he slipped one finger inside her, and she screamed out, nearly knocking him off the couch. House quickly shoved off her underwear in one rough motion and placed his tongue where his fingers had been.

She grabbed his hair with both hands, communicating her desire louder than words ever could, and he felt her buck beneath him, briefly crying out, shaking, then sighing as she came down. All House could do was lay his head on her stomach. He was just as spent as she was, and he wasn't sure he had the energy to drag himself off her.

Finally Avery seemed to return to the world. "What about you, baby?" Her voice was still ragged and unbelievably sexy.

House had to chuckle, a deep, low sound as he stroked her thigh. "Too late, babe."

Avery realized what had happened, and she started to laugh a little, too. "That's hot…"

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	7. I Do It For You

**Usual disclaimers apply. I don't own any of them except Avery, so there's no point in suing me. :)**

They were settled in on the couch after their intense session, both of them relaxed. Avery was curled up at one end, her feet tucked under her, and House lay across her lap, right foot on the floor, the other leg dangling over the couch. House reflected on what had transpired. That hadn't happened to him…Christ, at least since high school. He figured it was a testament to Avery's power over him. He grinned and stretched out one arm to wind around Avery's waist.

She absentmindedly stroked his hair, still reading her book. House closed his eyes, simply enjoying the sensation. It was these simple gestures of affection that he loved so much. Sure, the sex was amazing, mindblowing at times, but that could only cover so much of a relationship. His time with Stacy had proven that. Times like this, and the time on the roof, even dinner that night…this was the stuff he would have barely allowed himself to dream of. House still wasn't sure this was happening to him.

He didn't do happy. Everyone knew that. He thought back to his fortune cookie at the Chinese restaurant. All of a sudden he had an impulse. Now he knew how to say what he wanted to say. He could say it without looking too much like an idiot if it didn't go as planned. House figured now was as good a time as any.

"Hey…you remember when I opened up that fortune cookie earlier?" House started tentatively.

Avery lifted her head. "Yeah. You had the silliest little grin on your face. It was really cute."

"Know what it said?"

"No…but I have a feeling you're going to tell me." Avery smiled, still stroking the top of his head.

"'Your dreams tell you what your heart desires.'" House paused, waiting for a reaction. Avery chuckled a little. "Cheesy, huh?"

"A little…you trying to tell me something?"

House took a deeper than normal breath. "You know what I asked you the other night? You know, the thing about getting…'serious'?" Avery nodded, encouraging him to continue.

Avery's cell rang, interrupting the moment. _Just as well, _House thought. _I was about to make *such* a fool of myself._

"Matthews…Mom? What's wrong? Mom, calm down, please…" She gently nudged House's head off her lap and took her call into the kitchen. House pushed himself to a sitting position, heaving himself off the couch and limping toward the kitchen. There was rapid fire chatter, silence, then an unfamiliar sound.

Avery was sitting on the floor in front of the sink, hugging her knees, crying. House had never seen her this way, and he was momentarily uncomfortable. He didn't deal well with any excessive show of emotion, and to see her broken so completely unnerved him. Finally he spoke.

"What's wrong?"

Avery lifted her head, those beautiful brown eyes rimmed with red. "My dad…he had a stroke…he's critical."

House nodded as Avery continued. "I need to get to Chicago…"

Something in House snapped to attention. This was something tangible. This he could do.

"I'm on it." He stroked the top of Avery's head, turned around, and limped back to the living room. House opened up his laptop, starting it up while he scrolled through the contacts on his cell phone. He found the one he was looking for and hit 'send'.

"Cuddy."

"Cuddy? It's House. I need a favor."

Cuddy rolled her eyes. Whatever it was, it was bound to be outrageous, dangerous, or stupid. Maybe all three. "This had better be an emergency, House."

House let out an exasperated sigh, trying to keep his voice down so Avery wouldn't hear him. "It's not me, it's Matthews." He paused before continuing. "She needs a few days off to go to Chicago. Her dad just had a stroke, he's critical, and she needs to go home." House knew he'd have a hard time selling the last part, but it was worth a shot, anyway. "I need to go with her."

"Matthews, yes. You, NO." Cuddy naturally assumed House was trying to scam her. He lived for that sort of foolishness. On the other hand…something in his tone didn't sound like his usual bluster-and-bullshit. He sounded…serious.

House knew that Cuddy would initially say no. He had a damned good argument ready for her this time. "Cuddy…she's all alone here. She needs someone. I guess…I'm it."

There was a long silence on the other end. "You care for her. You actually…care." Alert the media. Gregory House actually had a heart.

House felt something stick in his throat. "Yeah…yeah, I do." He swallowed before speaking again. "So…are we good?"

"We're good, House. Give Matthews my regards. Oh, and House?"

"Yeah?"

"You _so_ owe me for this one."

House twisted his mouth in a half-smile. "I know, I know…more clinic duty that I'll never do. I know."

"And then some."

"Thanks, Cuddy. I'll stay in touch."

"Bye, House." Did House just thank her? Either the world was ending, or Matthews was a better influence than Cuddy gave her credit for. Cuddy was just grateful that they had found each other. They seemed, well, _right_ for each other. She just hoped they knew what a great thing they had.

House closed his cell and turned his attention to the laptop. He found the earliest flight he could out of Newark, confirming the reservation, printing off everything he needed to get himself and Avery to Chicago in record time.

Avery wandered into the living room as House was finishing on the computer. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and she was still shaking slightly. House pushed himself off the couch, limping over to her and taking her into his arms. He felt her breath hitch against his chest, and knew the tears were falling again.

"Shh…baby, I've got you. I've got you." House just stood there in the middle of his living room, holding Avery close, stroking her back as she finally calmed down. She finally lifted her head and looked up at House.

"I booked us an early flight out of Newark. 7:00 tomorrow morning. It's the best I could do."

"Us?" Avery hadn't counted on that.

House started to roll his eyes, but stopped mid-roll. Now was not the time for one of his usual flippant replies. "Yes, us. I've already worked it out with Cuddy. We're good through next week. I, on the other hand, will be doing clinic duty until I die…"

Avery took House's face in her hands and planted a firm kiss on his lips. He backed up a little in surprise. "Whoa there! What was that for?"

"For giving a damn about me."

"Hmm…where have I heard that before?"

"Can't imagine. Must have been your imagination."

Avery lightly kissed House one more time before pulling away. "Seriously…thank you. I'll pay you back for the plane ticket."

"The hell you will." House scowled. "I did it because I wanted to, no other reason. If you're nice, I _might_ let you cover the hotel. But don't count on it."

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	8. Sweet Home Chicago

**Back again! Once again, I don't own House, just the whole Matthews clan. Music is "Mix Tape" from Avenue Q.**

Avery and House packed up and started for the airport, each clutching a large travel mug of Avery's killer coffee as they headed out the door. They were each running on next to no sleep. House hardly slept anyway, and Avery couldn't stop thinking about her father, her brain stuck in worry mode. House had simply curled up against her, letting her cry, toss, even talk about her father some. Whatever she needed, he was going to give it to her, come hell or high water. It was the least he could do for the woman he…cared so much about.

They got to the airport, working their way through security. House had to check his cane, and he was offered a wheelchair. He rolled his eyes, not wanting to show weakness at a time like this.

Avery touched his arm and whispered in his ear. "Don't be an idiot. Take the damn chair. I'll push."

He considered the idea of having a beautiful woman pushing him through the airport. It had possibilities. "Alright, fine. Hook me up."

Avery smiled for the first time since they were together on the couch last night. God, that felt like a lifetime ago. She did wonder, now that things had calmed down, just what he was going to say to her before her phone rang. Whatever it was, it could wait. His actions over the last several hours said more to her than any words House could manage to string together. Right now, that was enough.

They found their seats, and the plane soon took off. House leaned his seat back, then patted his chest. "Lay on me for a while. Catch a nap before you see your dad."

"I couldn't sleep right now if I tried."

"Well then, here." House handed her his I Pod. "I don't know what's on there, but you're bound to find something you like."

She scrolled down until she ran across a playlist simply tagged 'Avery'. Ever curious, she cued it up and stuck one ear bud in her left ear. The music started, a song from one of her favorite musicals.

"_A mix tape. He made a mix tape…"_ Avery grinned widely and laid her head on House's chest. He glanced down, and his heart swelled. She liked it. Thank that non-existent God.

They landed in Chicago, deplaned, and got through the process of picking up luggage, House's cane, and the rental car. Avery started to get behind the wheel when House stopped her.

"I'll drive. Call your mom."

"But…"

"No buts. I drive. You call. Get it?"

She nodded, a little fuzzy from her brief nap on the plane. They switched sides, and Avery climbed into the passenger side, immediately speed dialing her mother's cell.

"Hello?" Her mother's soft musical accent carried over the phone.

"Hi, Mom. We're in Chicago. We're leaving the airport right now."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "What do you mean, _we_?"

Avery took a deep breath, not knowing how her mother would deal with the admittedly odd situation. "Greg's with me. He kind of…insisted."

Avery's mom smiled at the other end of the phone. "That's good, baby. I'm glad you didn't have to travel alone. We can't wait to meet him."

_Oh boy. This was going to get weird in a hurry._ Avery laughed a little despite everything. "Okay…so, how is Dad?" She was almost afraid to ask, afraid of having another emotional breakdown in front of House.

"He's still critical, but he's stable now. Much better than last night."

Avery breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. We just need room information now."

"He's in the ICU, fifth floor, Northwestern Memorial."

"Okay, see you when we get there."

"Love you, see you soon. Tell that man to drive safely!"

Avery rolled her eyes. There was no way in hell _that _was happening. "Okay, Mom. I will. Love you."

House and Avery arrived and found their way to the ICU. Near the end of the hall, in the waiting area, there was an elegant older dark-skinned woman that bore a striking resemblance to Avery. _Okay, so that must be Mom._ Seated next to her were a man around Avery's age, as dark as the woman next to him, with a woman who looked like neither of them. _A brother, maybe? Avery never told me she had a brother. The other woman must be with him._

The older woman stood up, only coming up to Avery's chest, and gave her a hug. Avery smiled in delight upon seeing the man, hugging him, too, then nodding to the woman that was with him. House hung back a bit, both out of his desire to give Avery space with her family and out of his own discomfort. She reached over to grab his hand and pulled him over to where her family stood.

"Greg, this is my mother Catherine, my older brother Devin, and his wife Alice. Everyone, this is Greg."

They all seemed to appraise him, and House fidgeted with his cane, nodding to Catherine and Alice, shaking hands with Devin.

"It's good to meet you, Greg. Avery's told me so much about you." Catherine walked over to House and gave him a soft hug, catching him off guard. "Thank you for bringing her home."

"…Sure. Glad I was able to." House felt distinctly uncomfortable now. All this open affection was a little weird to him.

Catherine let him go, seeming to sense House's discomfort, then turned to Avery. "Go on and see your father. I don't know if he's awake, but I know he'd want to see you."

Avery nodded somberly, nervous about what awaited her through that door. She looked back at House questioningly.

"Go." House waved her away. "I'll just go get us some coffee. I'll be right back." He kissed her softly on the forehead and whispered, "I'm not going anywhere. Go see him."

Catherine watched the interaction between this man and her daughter. For his rough appearance, he was surprisingly tender with Avery. She watched him walk away toward the elevator, leaning hard on that cane as he lumbered down the hallway. He'd obviously lived a hard life, and yet…he was so kind, so gentle with Avery. Catherine didn't dare hope for too much. Avery had been heartbroken after her fiancé left her almost two years before, and she just seemed to be putting her life back together. She hoped that Greg would be a part of that life. Heaven knows she deserved it.

House was nearly to the elevator when he heard someone step up next to him. It was Devin, Avery's brother.

The two men stood silently as the waited for the elevator. They seemed to be sizing each other up. Finally the elevator arrived, and the two stepped on, standing side by side.

"Avery never told me she had a brother." House finally spoke first.

Devin shrugged. "Avery never told me she was seeing somebody."

"Well…guess we're even in the secrets department, aren't we?"

"Guess so."

The silence continued, and House started to tap his cane on the floor. His curiosity was about to get the better of him.

"He's not your dad, is he?"

"Excuse me?" The question caught Devin by surprise.

"You and Avery. There are…shall we say…some obvious differences."

Devin chuckled a little and shook his head. Few people were blunt enough to point that out. Greg was clearly a little different. He kind of admired him for it.

"No, Greg. He's not my biological dad. I never even knew my biological dad." Devin shrugged. "But he's the man who raised me. I guess that makes him my dad. Water's a little thicker than blood in this case."

House nodded, wishing he could say the same.

"So…" Devin paused. "I guess this is where I ask you what my intentions are with my sister, how I'll beat your ass if you hurt her, all that."

House smiled, a genuine smile that took some of the roughness away from his features. "And this is the part where I tell you my intentions are honorable, that I'll…do my best not to hurt her, and you won't have to come all the way to Jersey to kick my ass."

"We understand each other. Good."

The elevator stopped on the floor with the cafeteria. The men picked up coffee for themselves and their respective women, House picking up the tab for Catherine's coffee, while Devin picked out something for her to eat. Catherine hadn't left the hospital since last night, and Devin suspected she hadn't bothered to eat in all that time. They gathered the coffee and food and stepped back on the elevator.

Devin was the one to break the silence this time. "She was going to get married a couple of years ago, you know."

House wasn't surprised. He was only surprised that she hadn't gone through with it. "No…no I didn't."

"Yeah. The guy cheated on her, then had the nerve to break things off two weeks before the wedding. He was a real piece of work."

"So how'd she end up in Princeton?"

"After they split up, the other girl found out about Avery and cut him loose. Pretty soon he was harassing her…phone calls, late night visits, showing up at her job. Scary stuff. After about six months, she'd had enough. That's when she found the opening in Princeton and bailed out. That guy never knew what hit him."

House could barely believe what he was hearing. "The guy was an idiot." _Didn't know a good thing when he had it. His loss, my gain. Moron._

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	9. Stamp of Approval

**Thanks for those of you who have added this story to your favorites and story alerts. Don't forget, direct feedback rocks, too. :)**

**As usual, I don't own House or its characters. The whole Matthews family is mine, though.**

When they returned, Catherine, Avery, and Alice were gathered in the waiting area. They were laughing and chatting, like girlfriends playing catch up. The men joined them, passing out coffee and passing the food to Catherine.

Avery took the coffee that House offered, taking a long sip. "Thanks, h…Greg." _God, there I go again. _

"Yes, Greg. Thank you." Catherine smiled at House, almost like she knew something he didn't. It was disconcerting. What had they been chatting about before he and Devin walked up? House wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Devin nudged him. "Don't mind them. When they get together…it's a little crazy."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Devin, please. You'll scare the man away."

"Don't go doing that, Devin. We just decided that we liked him. We'd hate to lose him so soon." Catherine chimed in, giving House that knowing smile again.

This was getting ridiculous. House had to get away. "I'll be back. I'm gonna take a little walk. _Alone._" He gave Avery a pointed look, then turned and limped down the hallway.

He found a quiet spot near the end of the hallway and pulled out his phone, speed-dialing Wilson.

"Wilson."

"It's House."

"House…how's Matthews? How's her dad?"

"She's holding up, so is the dad, I guess. They're all out in the waiting room, gossiping and chatting like a bunch of old biddies. It's _scary_ out there."

"Wow…so you met the family, huh?"

"Uh, yeah…this is _so _not what I had in mind when Avery mentioned meeting her parents. Oh, did you know she has a brother?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. He threatened me with bodily harm if I hurt his sister. Real charmer, that one."

"Ooh, scary stuff."

"Actually…he's okay. I think I'll live. It's just not…normal somehow."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Yeah, can you believe it? A family that actually gets along and loves each other."

"Yeah, well…I haven't met dear old Dad yet. Gonna be kind of hard to talk to the guy after he just had a stroke, you know. He could be a real asshole for all I know."

There was a long pause. Finally, Wilson spoke. "You know, you're doing the right thing."

"Yeah, whatever."

"No, I mean it." Wilson's voice rose in pitch. "You got that woman home to her family, hours…_hours_ after he goes down from a stroke, and you're _still there_ with her. Do you realize how huge that is?!"

House shrugged. "It just seemed like the thing to do. Only thing I could do."

"You wouldn't have done that for anyone before Avery and you know it. She's changed you, and I mean that in the best way."

House had to smile at that one. Avery had gotten under his skin and into his heart. God, was he really that transparent? "Guess she has, Wilson. I've gotta go. See you in a few days."

"Bye, House."

He closed his phone and shoved it in his pocket, turning and step-thumping back down the hallway as he did so. Avery and the rest of the Matthews clan were still in the waiting area when he arrived. Avery greeted him with a little smile and took his hand.

"Dad's awake. He'd like to meet you."

_Oh boy, here we go. Well, how bad can it be? He can't cuss me out if he can't form sentences, right?_

Avery led him into the room where her dad laid. "This is my dad, Stephen. Dad?" The man in the bed stirred slightly. "I brought Greg to meet you."

House leaned heavily on his cane, not sure what to expect. The right side of his face was droopy, but otherwise, he seemed fine. House saw now where Avery got her height, and he imagined that Stephen Matthews was quite the intimidating force when he was healthy. He wasn't sure that was a good thing.

He hobbled to one side of the bed, extending a hand to the elder Matthews. "Good to meet you, sir." _Sir? Where the hell did that come from? This meeting the parents thing just never gets any easier, even if one of them is laid up in a hospital bed._

Stephen smiled a little with the left side of his face. "You…too, Greg." His voice was faint and halting. He pointed to Avery. "You…leave us…a minute. We need to…talk."

"Are you sure? Whatever you have to say to him, you can say in front of me."

Stephen shook his head. "N-n-no. Out…girl."

House rolled his eyes and whispered to Avery, "I think he wants to have one of those man-to-man things. Wish me luck."

Avery's mouth twisted in a slight smile, touching House on the shoulder as she left. "Godspeed, Greg." She knew her dad could be tough, and even in his current state, he could easily send Greg screaming out of the room.

House pulled up a chair by Stephen's bedside, sitting down with his cane between his legs. He hoped Stephen would make the first move, because he had no clue where to start.

Fortunately, he did. "So…what…are your…plans?"

_Plans? Oh, right, with Avery. Shit. Uh…_ "We've only been seeing each other for a few months. I guess we don't really have a plan." House started to bounce his cane on the floor between his legs to calm his nerves.

Stephen seemed to consider House's answer. "Avery…she told me…what you did." He nodded his head, as if he approved. "Good show…young man. You're….good for her." He managed a bit of a glare in House's direction. "Take…good care…she's…special."

House nodded. "I know."

"You…love her." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

_Well…we're the only ones in the room. It's not like he's going to go blabbing it to everyone._ "Yeah…yeah, I do." House spoke so quietly he could barely hear himself.

Avery stood by the doorway, listening to the whole conversation. A big smile spread across her face at House's admission. Of course, she knew. She'd known for a while. It sure was nice to hear the words from him, though.

"He must still be alive in there. I don't hear any screaming…" Devin spoke a little sarcastically, with a little sympathy for the man in the room with his dad.

Avery turned away from the door, a big smile on her face. "No, I think they're doing just fine."

House thought he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. He must have been imagining things.

Stephen's expression told him otherwise. "Go…tell her."

House could have sworn he saw the old man wink at him. He was probably imagining that, too.

He heaved himself out of the chair, nodding to Stephen as he did so. "Take care." House turned around and limped heavily out of the room.

_You're good for her._ He wasn't used to hearing anything like that. It almost sounded like approval, and it just sounded….wrong, somehow. He tried to imagine taking Avery to meet his parents. All of a sudden he was relieved that his dad wasn't around. A meeting between his dad and Avery could have only ended badly.

Did Avery and Devin know how good they had it? Devin, especially. House figured he must have been about two or three when Catherine and Stephen met and later married. For a man to take on a child that wasn't his, of a different race at that, was huge.

He stepped into the waiting area, where the family was once again gathered.

"Hey, look who met our dad and lived to tell the tale!" Devin grinned widely as House entered.

House rolled his eyes. "Well…he _was_ a little under the weather. Things would have been different if he were at full strength, I'm sure."

"Don't be so sure about that." Catherine shook her head. "Stephen's a good judge of people. Even now, I'm sure he approves. I know I do."

"Mom, you're going to smother him. He's not used to all this attention." Avery broke in, sensing House's discomfort.

"It's fine, Avery. Really." House rubbed Avery's back, as much to soothe himself as to soothe her.

Avery smiled and rose. "Well, now that Dad's stable, we're going to head on. We still need to get to the hotel."

"Alright, baby. Take care. We'll see you tomorrow." Catherine hugged them both. "And as for you, Greg." She smiled warmly, that same smile Avery often showed him. "You keep taking good care of my girl, okay?"

"Wouldn't dream of doing otherwise." House awkwardly returned her hug, shook Devin's hand, and briefly hugging Alice.

As the couple walked away, the three that stayed behind marveled at the morning's events. Avery seemed happy, and Greg seemed right for her. He hadn't said much, but his actions spoke volumes. The Matthews family liked what Greg House's actions had to say. They just hoped they would figure it out for themselves. Catherine even dared to hope that this might be the man she would be proud to call a son-in-law.

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	10. Break On Through

**House might end up a little OOC here. You have been warned. Usual disclaimers apply. Matthews is mine, House isn't.**

House and Avery drove to the hotel from the hospital. Between the early flight and the hospital visit, they were exhausted. Avery stretched out on the bed as House fielded a call from his team regarding their latest patient.

She smiled as she listened to House give rapid fire instructions to his team, his voice rising as the debate got more heated. It was almost as if he was two people at times, so tender and kind with her, and yet so full of what Cuddy called 'bluster and bull' at work. Avery suspected it wasn't really bluster. House was simply willing to do whatever it took to solve the puzzle at hand, whether it was a patient, his team, Wilson, or Cuddy.

Finally, House finished his call, rolling his eyes in exasperation and tossing the phone unceremoniously on the desk. "Those damn fools will kill that guy if I don't get back soon." He grumbled as he toed off his shoes and flopped on the bed.

Avery sighed and curled up to House. "Have a little faith. You picked them, remember? Would you really pick a bunch of fools?"

"Sometimes I wonder." House absentmindedly rubbed his thigh. He had been so focused on Avery's needs that day that he hadn't thought much about his own, and his leg let him know how much it had been neglected. Digging around in his jeans pocket, he found his Vicodin and downed a couple. He closed his eyes, waiting for the drugs to kick in and the pain to recede. It was hurting him more than usual, but damned if he was going to let Avery see it. She already had enough on her mind without having to worry about him, too.

Besides, House had handled this all on his own for so long. He knew the risks of long term Vicodin use. It just never mattered much before, as he figured it would always be just him. Now that Avery was in his life, that changed the equation a bit. Now House was starting to think long term, something he hadn't done since…ever.

He sighed and held Avery to him a little tighter. The notion of a future with this woman in his arms threw him for a loop. House thought back to his conversation with Devin. The last thing he wanted to do was break Avery's heart, and not just because he didn't want Devin to hunt him down like a dog. He wanted _her_ for as long as she'd have him, and he wanted to do the best he could to extend that time frame. That was going to mean some major changes, for sure. When they got back to Jersey, he was finally going to have _that _conversation with Wilson, the one he'd been trying to have with House for years.

Avery stirred slightly, feeling House shift and grunt a little beside her. She knew he was worn down and hurting. She just wished he wouldn't be so damned prideful about dealing with his pain. It was as much a part of him as anything else. The Vicodin use concerned her, especially for as long as he had been using it. Wilson had told her that he'd been trying to get House to try different things for his chronic pain, but he always came back to the Vicodin. It wasn't perfect, but House claimed that it was the only thing that made things manageable for him.

If this was manageable…Avery would hate to see unmanageable.

She felt him tense up beside her, and opened her eyes to see him rubbing his thigh, a pained expression on his face. The drugs just weren't going to do it today.

"Hey…what's going on?"

"Nothing." House snapped in a tone that clearly meant it was something, "Cramp. That's all."

"Anything I can do?"

"Just…No. Just gotta ride this one out." He sat up and swung his legs out of bed, deciding to try walking it off. Unfortunately, he miscalculated the distance between the bed and the floor, landing in a heap on the floor, the wrong leg twisted under him.

"FUCK!" House bellowed in pain and anger, and Avery bolted off the bed and down to the floor by his side.

"_Now_ will you let me do something?!" Avery snapped at him. Damn his pride and foolishness. Didn't he know by now that he could trust her? He could lean on her if he really needed to. This was ridiculous.

House nodded miserably. Now he was embarrassed on top of everything else. He didn't want her to see him like this. This…weakness bothered him.

"When are you going to quit being so goddamn stubborn?" Avery asked softly, trying to help House move to get that leg out from under him.

"Mmm…sometime around half past never, probably." By now they were seated on the floor, House's leg stretched out in front of him, both of them leaning against the bed. He put an arm around Avery's shoulders and kissed her temple. "It's just that…this…trusting another human being thing…I'm not used to it."

Avery looked up at him with a puzzled expression. "What about Wilson? Cuddy? Your mom?"

"Well, let's see…Wilson lectures me, Cuddy gives me hell and clinic duty, and my mom is, well…" House paused, not wanting to reveal too much. "Point is, you're different. You seem to want to be around me. It's cool. I really like it." House could feel his heart pounding, his words coming out in a rush. He was afraid he'd never say it if he stopped now.

He turned to Avery, taking her face in his large, rough hands. "No, that' s not right. I don't just like it. I _love _it. I…I love…_you._" _Well, it's all out there now._

There was a moment of absolute silence. House watched as Avery's big brown eyes turned shiny, and the tears started slipping out and down her cheeks. His heart froze a little. Maybe he'd been wrong about her. He didn't know. All those old fears and doubts came rushing back to him.

They were abated somewhat when Avery reached out, wrapping House in an almost deadly hug. She buried her head in his shoulder, her breath still hitching from her unexpected emotional outburst. Finally she lifted her head and looked him in the eye, coffee brown meeting ice blue.

"I already knew, you know." Avery kissed House tenderly on the cheek. "It's good to hear you say it to me, though."

"You knew?!" Something dawned on House. "How the hell?...Oh. You _were_ there when your dad and I were talking. I should have known." He shook his head, a little embarrassed that Avery had spied on them.

"That's not what I meant, Greg." Avery stroked his cheek. "I mean…it's the time we've spent together, the way you took care of things last night, the fact that you're here with me now." Her voice dropped to a near-whisper. "Your actions say a hell of a lot more about you than any words ever could."

"Well…maybe I should just shut up, then." House waggled his eyebrows at Avery, pulling her closer for a long, heartfelt kiss.

Avery giggled. "So…you're feeling better, then."

"Oh, _hell _yeah." House grinned, that touch of evil showing itself again. "Now get your beautiful ass up on that bed. I've got a little something to…show you."

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	11. A Little Bit of History Repeating

**Back with the usual disclaimers: Avery and the rest of the Matthews clan is mine, House is not.**

The two of them lay together, tangled up in the covers after their intense lovemaking. House was still in a haze, born of exhaustion both physical and mental. The whole day had just been so damned overwhelming, and he was just now starting to process the events.

He had never exposed himself so completely to Avery as he had when he collapsed next to the bed. She had finally seen him at one of his weakest moments, and not only did she not run, she was once again right there by his side. Avery had been irritated with him, actually showing a bit of temper, but she hadn't left. That's what had finally given him the courage to expose himself emotionally, at least a little.

He heard Avery sigh and move closer to him, squeezing him around his chest. Dammit, she felt so good next to him. House wondered, just for a moment, what it would be like to wake up every day like this, in a space all their own instead of going back and forth between their places. Over the last several months, so much of each other's stuff had migrated to their respective places that it seemed a little crazy to maintain separate apartments.

Oh yes, House had fallen for Avery, big time. Things were changing, slowly but surely. It was scary, but…it was a fear House could live with. He looked down at the beautiful woman laying in his arms, holding her tightly to him. It dawned on him how goddamned lonely he had really been all these years. So much time wasted pushing people away. If he had known…well, he probably wouldn't be here now. Now he knew, and he was determined never to let her go.

Avery's phone went off on the nightstand next to him, breaking into his reverie, and she barely stirred in response. House reached over and picked it up, checking the Caller ID. Deciding not to disturb her, House answered.

"Hello?"

"Who the hell's this?!" An unfamiliar male voice barked in House's ear.

House scowled. "Never mind that. Who the hell are you?!"

"If you must know…This is Bryan. You could say I'm…an old friend of Avery's. Put her on."

"She's sleeping. I'll take a message for her."

"Never mind. I'll just call back. Who are you again?"

"I never said. Let's just say…" House chose his next words carefully, looking down at the sleeping beauty in his arms. "…she occupies an important place in my life, if you know what I mean."

On the other end of the phone, Bryan narrowed his eyes in anger. This wasn't happening. Some other man was answering Avery's phone. This was wrong, so wrong. Didn't she know he had been waiting for her? Selfish bitch.

Bryan took a deep breath before answering. "I'm sure you think she does. She has that way of making everyone feel…special. Anyway...just tell her I called."

_Oh really. This dumbass has no idea who he's dealing with. _"Will do." House closed the phone with a quick snap. If this was the guy that Devin was talking about…there was about to be trouble.

Avery blinked and stirred next to House. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Was that my phone?"

"Yeah." House growled. "Some guy named Bryan. Claimed he was an old friend of yours. He didn't seem to thrilled that some strange guy was answering your phone."

Fear clutched at Avery's heart. She really hadn't expected to hear from Bryan ever again, not after everything. The cheating, the broken engagement, and the harassment that followed after the other woman broke up with him was what had driven her to Princeton. Avery considered not telling House, but she already knew that would be pointless. Sooner or later he would find out, and she had no desire to break the fragile trust House had in her.

She twisted the covers in her fingers and breathed deeply. "He's not an old friend. He's my…ex-fiance."

House nodded. "I see."

Avery shared the story of her tumultuous relationship with Bryan, filling in the blank spots left by Devin's telling of the tale. By the time she finished, she once again had her arms wrapped around her knees, almost as if she was still trying to protect herself from Bryan.

House put his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. "That sorry son of a bitch had better not show up at the hospital. I can guarantee that he'll be sorry."

Avery rolled her eyes a bit. "Oh, don't even be like that. Even Bryan's not that dumb. Besides, I'm pretty sure Devin will want a piece of him first."

"Fine." House huffed. "But if there's anything left of him when Devin's done…let's just say I don't just carry that cane to attract the chicks."

She laughed nervously, allowing House to hold her close. "I'm sure it will turn out to be nothing. No sense worrying before you have to." At least, Avery hoped that would be the case. Bryan had a bad habit of showing up where she least expected him to, always trying to 'catch' her at something. She was sure time hadn't changed that little habit of his.

Avery had to admit, she wouldn't mind seeing a showdown between that arrogant bastard and House. Her money was on the guy with the cane.

They returned to the hospital that afternoon, feeling somewhat more human after a nap. Stephen was being transferred to a standard room, and Avery wanted a little time with him and the rest of her family before he was moved.

She was apprehensive after the phone call from Bryan. If he showed up here…Avery wouldn't put it past him. Now that she was back in Chicago, she knew Bryan would make an attempt to contact her. How he knew she was here, she didn't know. That man had connections she would rather not think about.

The elevator door opened, and House and Avery strode purposefully down to the ICU waiting area. Like this morning, Catherine, Devin, and Alice were gathered together, chatting easily. Catherine saw the pair approaching and smiled widely.

"Hello again." She stood up and gave them each a warm hug. House was still uncomfortable with the open show of affection, but this time he returned the hug with a light one of his own. "Go on in. They'll be transferring him before too long."

House gestured to Avery to go ahead without him. She seemed to need the time alone with her father, and he wanted to respect her space. He decided to walk around. His leg was still bothering him after the cramp earlier, and while the pain had abated somewhat, he still felt the need to pace.

Who was he kidding? The idea that Bryan might try to show up here worked his mind. He didn't even know what the guy looked like, so why was he trying to be on the lookout for him? House shook his head at his foolishness. This notion that he would somehow defend his lady's honor was somewhat unusual to him. It was a romantic idea, not his usual thing, definitely. He supposed it was some instinctual thing, this need to protect what belonged to him. It had just taken nearly fifty years for it to kick in, that was all. _Better late than never, I suppose._ He turned and limped his way back down to the waiting area.

He saw an unfamiliar face as he approached. Avery had just emerged from her father's room, and apparently had walked right into this man. She looked…scared, intimidated, almost child-like.

_That's got to be him. What the hell does he think he's doing?!_ House strode purposefully, moving with surprising quickness. Soon he was standing directly behind Bryan. He was nearly House's height, and had more than a few pounds on him. House wasn't bothered by the size difference. As far as he was concerned, Bryan was a threat to his lady, and this threat had to be dealt with, quickly.

"So." House boomed out. "This must be the infamous Bryan that you told me so much about." He moved past Bryan, bumping him in the shoulder as he passed by and stood next to Avery.

A look of relief crossed Avery's delicate features. "Yes…this is Bryan. Bryan, this is Greg...Doctor Greg House."

Bryan's green eyes narrowed as he sized up the man that stood before him. _An old cripple._ He thought to himself. _Figured she'd never do better than me. Who does she think she's kidding, anyway?_ He extended a hand to House, a twisted smile on his face. "Good to meet you. I've heard…_nothing _about you."

"I'd say the same…but I'd be lying." House moved until he was between Bryan and Avery, fixing him with a steely glare. He motioned to Avery and whispered to her, "Go on and hang out with the family. I'll handle this."

Avery nodded and silently walked away. She looked back, concerned about the possible confrontation. While she was sure Greg could hold his own, she didn't want him to have to, and Bryan could be brutal when confronted.

The two men faced each other, green meeting blue, neither blinking. Finally, House broke the silent stand down.

"Let's walk and talk, shall we?" House turned on his heel and started down the hallway, away from the waiting area. The last thing he needed was to start trouble in front of Avery's family.

"Fine." Bryan curtly nodded and followed suit.

The two were near the elevators when House suddenly stopped, his face thoughtful. "Why are you here?"

Bryan stopped, baffled. "Isn't it obvious? I was worried about Avery. I didn't want her to be alone in her time of need."

"That's funny…because she's clearly _not _alone. She's got her mom, her brother…and _me._" House moved until he was practically nose-to-nose with the man, pressing the tip of his cane into Bryan's big toe. Bryan blanched but otherwise didn't move.

"Let me tell you something." House hissed. "Your claim on Avery expired two years ago. You didn't have any trouble moving on then. I don't see what the fuck the problem is now." He lifted his chin slightly, narrowing his eyes, as though he was figuring out another one of his puzzles.

Bryan was nervous. Obviously he'd misjudged this guy. But Avery was _his, _always was and always would be. He was damned if he was just going to let her run back to New Jersey with this old bastard. He would not allow himself to be intimidated by House. Bryan glared back, fixing House with a steady glare.

"The problem is…" Bryan attempted to wiggle his toe out from under the cane. Damn, the gimp was surprisingly strong. "The problem is…you seem to think she loves you. She doesn't. She's just using you to get to me. That's how Avery is. She'll break your heart, old man, and when she does…" Bryan smirked. "You'll see. Just you wait."

"_You son of a bitch._" In one quick move, Bryan found himself slammed up against the wall of the hallway, a cane at his throat and a pair of ice blue eyes flashing with anger. "What the fuck do you know about _love_?!" House pressed the cane further against Bryan's throat, nearly cutting off his oxygen supply. "You cheated on her, broke her heart, and when she wouldn't come crawling back to you, you intimidated her, threatened her, hounded her. _That's not love._ That's just…fucking stupid."

"Let him go, Greg. He's not worth it." House heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see Devin running up to where he had Bryan pinned up against the wall. He released the cane and backed away slightly, surprised at his own behavior.

"We were done…talking, anyway." He glared at the man who was now slumped on the floor, eyes wide and clutching at his throat. House nudged him with his cane. "Weren't we?"

Bryan nodded and rose to his feet, fixing both men with that pointed glare, only now there was a bit of fear mixed in with it. "We're done…for now. Don't think this is over, _Greg._" He staggered toward the elevator, shaking as he pushed the down button. No, this wasn't over. Far from it. If Greg House thought he could run him off that easily, he was mistaken. Seriously mistaken.

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	12. As Good As It Gets

**Just a little warm and fuzzy chapter to wrap things up tonight. :) Avery alone is my creation. I don't own the rest of them.**

When the elevator door closed with Bryan behind it, House finally let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Devin was standing by his side, shaking his head in amazement.

"Told you he was a piece of work." Devin clapped House on the shoulder. "I thought for sure you were going to kill him."

"Probably would have if you hadn't walked up when you did." House's violent reaction had surprised him. There was just something in Bryan's tone, his words, that had just made him _snap_. Frankly, it scared him a little.

"Come on, man." Devin guided House back down the hallway. "Let's go meet up with everyone. I'm sure they're getting ready to move Dad by now."

House nodded dully, feeling like he was floating back down the hallway. He was slowly starting to fully understand his reaction to Bryan. It made him think of the number of times Avery had put up with his bad moods, his snarling and snapping when he was struggling with a case. In that respect, he wasn't much better than Bryan.

"I can do better than that."

Devin turned to House, puzzled by the non-sequitor. House looked up, startled. He hadn't realized he'd said it out loud. House shook his head.

"Sorry, not talking to you. Must have been thinking out loud."

"I was going to say…" Devin tilted his head at House. "How much better could you be?"

House twisted his mouth in a half smile. "You don't know me very well at all. There's no way you would say that if you really knew me."

Devin thought Greg sounded a little sad. He shrugged. "Everyone has their demons, Greg. Show me someone without some issues, and I'll show you someone who's barely lived at all."

_Devin, you have no fucking clue._ "Maybe so, maybe not." It wasn't something he was interested in exploring right then. "Doesn't matter right now anyway."

By Sunday afternoon, Stephen continued his slow and steady improvement. He was scheduled to start rehab as soon as it was determined he was strong enough to take it, and Catherine decided it was time for Avery to go back to Princeton. She would miss her daughter greatly, of course, but she wasn't so worried about her now. Avery had a good man in Greg, and that comforted Catherine greatly. He was so much better for her than that Bryan character had been. Catherine thought she had seen him at the hospital, but everyone assured her otherwise. She had wisely kept her mouth shut when she saw Greg and Devin walking back from the elevators, Greg looking like he'd had some sort of confrontation. Neither one of them would admit to anything, so Catherine had let it go.

House and Avery boarded the plane and settled into their seats, waiting for take off. Avery still had House's I Pod, but he insisted she continue listening to it. He was planning on dozing through most of the flight, if he could. The whole visit had been an overwhelming experience for him, and he was still processing most of it.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. Avery's family had welcomed him with mostly open arms. Her mother was open and affectionate, and while her brother had taken some time to warm up to House, he turned out to be a pretty cool guy, too. Good thing he had come upon House when he had Bryan nailed to the wall. He wasn't kidding when he told Devin he was on the edge of killing the bastard. While he was reasonably sure he wouldn't be a problem for himself and Avery again, he couldn't be positive of that fact. House was pretty confident that Bryan could create a problem if he chose. Fortunately, that _was_ going to be a lot harder back in Princeton.

The rest of the ride was uneventful, and they soon landed in Newark, picking up Avery's vehicle for the drive back to Princeton.

"So…my place or yours?" House teased Avery with a grin.

Avery laughed. "Yours, I suppose. That's where we left off, right?"

"Right." House looked out the window, the wheels in his head turning. Avery stopped at a grocery store along the way, picking up ingredients for a quick meal when they got back to House's.

Avery pulled up and parked, and House unlocked the door while Avery began unpacking the car. House limped in and was immediately drawn to his piano.

"I've missed you, baby." He whispered, lovingly stroking the wood top.

"Greg, can you hold off on your little reunion and help me unload?!"

House grinned a little, but stepped over to help bring things in from the car. He tossed their bags in his bedroom and started unloading groceries. Avery immediately kicked off her shoes and put on a pot of coffee. Soon it started smelling like…_home._

Avery watched as Greg toed off his shoes and staggered his way to the piano. He lightly stroked the keys and started playing, random chords at first, then some vaguely familiar classical pieces. Finally he settled on an Elton John song. Normally it was a richly layered arrangement, but Greg played it simply and beautifully, eventually adding the lyrics.

"_And all I ever needed was the one…like freedom fields where wild horses run…when stars collide like you and I…no shadows block the sun…you're all I've ever needed…baby you're the one…"_

Avery walked over to the piano, setting a cup of coffee on the top and kissing him on top of his head. He grabbed her hand, kissing it lightly before releasing it so she could continue working on dinner. Whatever it was, it smelled amazing, and House knew he was in for a good meal.

This, House decided, was about as good as things got. The only thing that would make it perfect…well, perhaps he was jumping the gun a bit. For now, he was content once again to enjoy things as they were.

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	13. Winds Of Change

**Insert disclaimer here: All the House characters do not belong to me. Anyone else is my creation.**

The following morning found Avery dragging herself out of the warm bed toward the coffeemaker. She paused to look at the figure sprawled out on the other half of the bed. For once, he seemed relatively calm, snoring slightly. Avery lightly squeezed his foot as she passed through. She'd see him later on when he dragged himself into the diagnostics office and started raising hell with Cuddy and his team.

Avery got to her office and settled in with her catch up work. Messages, requests for consults, updates on patients…it would be enough to keep her busy for days. A knock at the door pulled her away from her work.

"Come in."

Wilson opened the door and stepped inside her office, closing the door behind him. "Welcome back, Matthews."

"Thank you, Wilson. It's good to be back. Busy, but good."

"Good, good." Wilson paced a little bit around Avery's office. "How's House?"

"Good, I think." Avery pondered this a bit. "He got to meet the family."

"Ah…he told me about that." Wilson nodded in response.

"He tell you about his other…run in?"

Wilson squinted and tilted his head slightly. "Other…run in?"

Avery's face turned serious. "I'll let him tell you about that one."

House stepped through the lobby of PPTH on his way to the diagnostics office. He was waiting for the elevator when he spotted movement to his left.

"Morning, Cuddles."

"Morning, House." Cuddy folded her arms over her chest. "How's Matthews?"

"Good, I think." House nodded in response. "Her dad's doing as well as can be expected…should be moving into rehab pretty soon."

"Good." She fixed him with a warm smile. "You did a great thing, you know."

House rolled his eyes. "So I keep hearing." He looked askance at Cuddy. "So…does this get me out of clinic duty?"

"Nice try, House." Cuddy laughed at him as she walked away. "You still owe me last month's hours. And the month before that…"

"Fine, I get it." House huffed. "I'll send Taub down. He owes me a favor."

"Not acceptable…"

"Don't care…" House muttered as he stepped onto the elevator, carrying him to the fourth floor. He didn't care how great the rest of his life was going. Clinic duty was and always would be the bane of his existence.

The doors opened on the fourth floor to reveal Wilson, passing through on the way to his office. He stopped when he saw House step off the elevator.

"House!"

House groaned internally, but stopped at the sound of Wilson's voice. "Morning, Wilson."

"You have a minute?"

House shrugged. "Of course."

Soon the two men were sequestered in Wilson's office. House flopped unceremoniously on the couch while Wilson sat behind the desk.

"So…" Wilson started. "Matthews told me something very interesting…"

House rolled his eyes. "She's got it totally wrong. Whipped cream yes, handcuffs…not so much."

Now it was Wilson's turn to roll his eyes. "No…something about _another _run in at the hospital?"

_Oh. That._ "Yeah…about that…" House sat up, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees, hands under his chin. "Avery was going to get hitched a couple of years ago. I…met the guy over the weekend. You could say we…disagreed on the direction mine and Avery's relationship was going."

"Really." Wilson's tone suggested that there was more that House wasn't telling. "Go on."

"I…" House twisted his fingers together. "I…kind of jacked him up in the hallway. Used the cane as a weapon, told him what an asshole he was, you know." House shrugged. "Usual stuff. Then Avery's brother had to come and ruin the fun. Spoilsport."

Wilson got the picture, and he broke out in a wide grin. "Well played."

"Right. Well, gotta go. You free for lunch later?"

"Of course, I'll come grab you. Matthews, too?"

"Nah…I'll see her later…much later." House waggled his eyebrows at Wilson, who only laughed and rolled his eyes at House's behavior.

House left Wilson and made his way to his own office, briefly stopping in on Avery, leaning his tall frame over her desk to drop a kiss on her forehead before finally getting down to work. His team had a case in progress, and he needed to check in and bring himself up to speed. Before long he was back in his element, scribbling on the whiteboard, harassing his team, storming into Cuddy's office with the occasional outrageous treatment idea.

Wilson was about to leave his office when his door banged open, revealing House and two Styrofoam containers. He set one in front of Wilson and plopped down on the couch with his own.

Wilson regarded him suspiciously. "Please tell me I won't find my debit card missing later…"

"Oh, aren't _you _the funny one. No, I actually bought it myself. Avery's ass-deep in work, so I brought her some lunch. Figured I'd get some for you, too. Don't question it." House fixed Wilson with a glare. "Besides…I kind of wanted to…talk to you about some stuff."

_Oh, this was getting strange. Who are you and what have you done with House?_ "Okay, shoot."

House wasn't quite sure where he wanted to start. He sighed and dove in. "You know how you keep riding my ass about my 'pain management', or lack there of?" Wilson nodded, encouraging House. "I…I kind of need a new plan. The old stuff isn't cutting it anymore."

Wilson tilted his head. "What changed your mind?"

House twisted his mouth in that familiar half smile. "Well, I don't know whether you've heard…but I've kind of got this lady in my life. I'd like to hang around as long as she'll have me. Tough to do that when you're living under the constant threat of liver failure, you know?"

Wilson smiled and nodded. "Yeah…seems I'd heard about that one. I know a couple people. I'll dig up their cards and send them your way." He leaned forward and fixed House with a steady look. "So things are good with Matthews, then?"

House broke out in a full smile, one Wilson saw rarely. "Yeah. Yeah, they are. Told her I loved her, you know."

Wilson sat back in his chair, stunned. "Hey, give some warning before you drop bombs like that, will you?" He shook his head in amazement. "Next thing you know you'll be picking out rings."

"Now _that _would be crazy." But not that crazy. House supposed anything was possible these days. He stole a couple of Wilson's fries and started to walk out. "Gotta fly. The team should be coming back with some test results soon. Thanks for the chat."

"Of course. I'll get those cards to you later."

Wilson watched as his friend limped out of his office. Things were changing in a big way, and Wilson couldn't be happier. God knows House deserved some happiness in his life, and it looked like things were finally going in the right direction for him. _Good for him, _Wilson thought as he returned to his work, stopping to look up information for a couple of pain management specialists he was in close contact with.

The next time Avery bothered to glance at her watch, it was close to 6:00. Time had slipped by so fast she was hardly aware of it. House had brought her lunch earlier, dropping a Styrofoam container on her desk before wandering off to find Wilson. As far as Avery was concerned, bringing food was a far more romantic gesture than a dozen roses. She wasn't sure she would have made time otherwise. Her mind flicked back to Bryan. Than man had been the master of the grand gesture, sending elaborate bouquets and expensive gifts after every blowout they had over the years. Too bad he couldn't seem to master the art of being a decent human being. Avery wondered what made her hang around so long. She didn't waste too much time with the thought. The here and now mattered more, and that included the scruffy older man that worked down the hall.

She finally wrapped up what she was doing and packed up to leave, dropping in on House along the way. Once again she found him in front of his whiteboard, deep in thought. Avery walked quietly into the conference room and slipped an arm around his waist.

"Hey, you." He smiled slightly and absentmindedly rubbed Avery's back.

"Hey." She nodded at the whiteboard. "Hard at work?"

"Of course." House dropped a kiss on her temple. "I'm going to be here a while. Got to make sure the kids are on the right path before I head out."

"Okay, I'll pick up some dinner stuff and meet you at my place, okay?"

"Sounds good. See you in a while."

Avery turned to walk out of the conference room when House stopped her. "Hey!"

"Yes?"

"Love you."

Avery smiled, that sweet, full smile that lit up her face. "Love you too. See you soon."

House watched her go, tapping the marker against his palm, grinning like an idiot. He was definitely going to have a serious sit-down with her later.

Avery rode the elevator down to the lobby and out to the parking structure, a silly grin plastered on her face. How something as simple as 'love you' could make her glow inside boggled her mind. She supposed it was because she knew it came from the heart. House didn't say anything unless he meant it, not on the personal front, anyway. He would say all sorts of outrageous things to get a reaction, to get information, but when it came to his feelings, he always played close to the chest. It was as if he finally felt safe expressing himself, and that pleased Avery, too.

She approached her vehicle, unlocking the door and climbing inside. She took a deep whiff, traces of House still in the car. Hopefully he wouldn't be too long. Judging by his mood, the case was taking a turn for the better.

As she started the vehicle, she noticed something stuck to her windshield. _Stupid advertisements, _she thought as she pulled the paper out from under the wiper blade. Out of curiosity, she opened the folded piece of paper.

_Avery:_

_Seeing you again made me remember the wonderful times we had. I miss you. Please call me when you get this._

_Love,  
Bryan_

"Not a fucking chance." Avery angrily crumpled the note and threw it in a nearby trashcan. Then a thought dawned on her. If he left this note on her car…that meant he was _here_, in Princeton, or at least nearby.

"Oh, no…" This wasn't, _couldn't _be happening. She thought this was over once she left Chicago. Apparently Bryan felt differently. Avery had an awful feeling that things were about to escalate. All of a sudden she didn't want to go home. She speed-dialed House, leaving a message on his voice mail.

"Change of plans, babe. I'll meet you at your place." Avery hoped her voice wasn't as shaky on the recording as it sounded to her own ears.

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	14. Who Loves You, Baby?

**Another smut alert ahead. It *is* rated M, after all. I don't own any of them except the occasional OC, yadda, yadda.**

House wrapped things up a little quicker than he'd planned on. It turned out that he and the team were on the same wavelength for a change, and Thirteen agreed to stay and monitor the patient for the night. Arrangements made, House packed up his backpack and dug out his car keys. He would have driven the motorcycle, but Avery had given him _that _look last night when he'd mentioned it. Any other time, any other woman, and he wouldn't have given it a second thought. But things were different now. Damned if he was going to unnecessarily risk his life for a thrill ride. House smiled to himself at the thought. If things kept going like this…plenty of time to consider that later on. Right now he was focused on his rumbling stomach, and the woman who would fill that empty feeling in more ways than one.

In his pocket, the light on his phone indicating a new voice mail kept blinking, unheeded. House made his way to his handicapped spot where his old beater was parked. Maybe it was time to replace the old thing. He couldn't ride his motorcycle full time, and he couldn't bum rides off Avery forever. He noticed a piece of paper tucked under his wiper blade. _Oh, joy. Advertising flyer._ House pulled it out from under the blade and opened it up, ever curious.

The handwriting was unfamiliar, but the message was unmistakable.

_Doctor House:_

_I told you it wasn't over._

_B._

"Fuck." House cursed softly, crumpling the note. He had really hoped he had left this all behind in Chicago. Apparently trouble decided to follow him. Nice, real nice.

House was undecided as to go to Avery's now. If Bryan felt the need to leave a note on his car, he imagined he had tried to contact Avery, too. For all he knew, Bryan could be laying in wait at Avery's. _Damn. Damn, damn, damn._ He pulled out his phone, starting to scroll through the contacts until he noticed a new voice mail message. Some instinct told him to listen to the voice mail instead of making his intended call.

"_Change of plans, babe. I'll meet you at your place."_ Avery sounded shaky. A chill ran through House, and he knew that Bryan had managed to contact her, too. He started the old beast and sped out of the parking structure, wasting no time getting to Avery.

He pulled into his parking spot, right behind Avery's car. She was here, at least, and he didn't see any other unfamiliar vehicles around. House immediately rushed from the car to the apartment as quickly as he could, crashing through the door.

"Avery?! "

"In here!" Avery called out from the kitchen. House hung up his coat and step-thumped into the kitchen. She turned from the meal she was working on and gave House a quick kiss on the lips. "I see you got my message."

"Yeah, sure did. I got another one, too." He dug the crumpled note out of his pocket, spread it out, and showed it to Avery. "This look familiar to you?"

Avery's heart froze. It was one thing for Bryan to screw with her, but for him to screw with House…it was too much. She nodded silently. "He left me one, too. I was so furious I threw it away without even thinking about it." Her eyes glazed over and she started shaking. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I never meant to bring all this down on you."

House immediately closed the short distance between them, wrapping his arms around Avery and pressing her to him, trying to stop her shaking. "Don't you dare apologize. This isn't about you. It's all him. He's an asshole. Forget about him." He rocked her gently, stroking her hair. "He's probably still pissed that I jacked him up, that's all." House stepped back, brushing Avery's hair from her face. "We'll just have a normal night, okay? Chances are he won't bother to show his face here."

Avery sighed and chuckled sadly. "Well, I have to go back to my place eventually. I can't just stay here forever, you know."

"Why not?"

The simple question left Avery speechless. Was House asking what she thought he was asking? She relaxed her shoulders and placed her hands on his rough face.

"Baby." She smiled gently. "As much as I love being here with you…all my stuff is still…there."

House shrugged. "So? They have these things…moving trucks, storage units. It would only be temporary, anyway." He turned away, irritated and confused. "Forget I asked. It was a stupid idea anyway."

"No, it wasn't." Avery placed her hands on House's waist, laying her head on his back. House turned around at her touch and leaned against the counter. "I love you, you know that, right?" House half nodded and shrugged. "Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't have a problem. I just don't want to make a move based on…fear, avoidance, whatever this might be." Avery reached up and kissed House lightly on the lips. "When this storm blows over, we'll revisit this. My lease isn't up until April, anyway." She stepped closer until her body pressed against his, once again meeting his lips with hers. "I'm still in this for the long haul. Nothing's changed, okay?"

"Okay." House replied so softly Avery almost didn't catch it. He placed a hand around the nape of her neck, pushing his tongue into her mouth with uncharacteristic roughness. Avery leaned into the kiss, allowing herself to be carried away. They broke away from each other, fear and concern mirrored in each other's eyes.

Suddenly House wrinkled his nose. "Is something burning?"

"Oh, _dammit_." Avery rushed over to the stove, where smoke was rolling out of the pan, quickly turning it off. "I don't think I can save this one."

"No big. How's Thai sound tonight?" House was already making the call, handing the menu to Avery.

Across town, Bryan waited in front of Avery's apartment complex. There were only two places that he knew for sure she would be, and he thought for sure she would show up here, first. He kept checking his phone, awaiting that call from Avery. She always called him back, always. Bryan couldn't imagine what was keeping her, why she would deviate from her familiar pattern.

Finally it clicked. House. That goddamn cripple was making life very difficult for Bryan. House actually had the nerve to tell _him _to step off from Avery. Who the hell did he think he was, anyway? _Nobody _told Bryan what to do. If House thought he could get between him and Avery, he was wrong. Dead wrong.

Bryan pulled out of the parking lot and headed the opposite direction. Now it was time for him to check in on the other place. He didn't want to have to hurt Avery, but House was a problem that had to be dealt with. Once he did that…he could bring Avery home to Chicago, and they could pick up where they left off. Things would be as they were before, possibly better. It might cause Avery a little short term pain, but she'd get over it. The sooner she learned her place in this world, the better off they would both be.

House and Avery settled in the living room, take out containers spread out across the coffee table, each of them taking up opposite ends of the leather couch. House stretched out, right foot on the floor, left leg tucked in next to Avery. Avery was equally relaxed, her right hand playing lightly with House's calf, both of her long legs extended down the couch, crossed at the ankles. To House, those legs were a beautiful sight. Damn shame she had to cover them up.

He slid a hand under the hem of Avery's lounge pants, feeling the soft skin and strong calf underneath. Avery made small noises in response, looking over at House with a slight smile, her eyelids dropping over her deep brown eyes.

Avery continued to move her hand up House's leg, finally stopping mid-thigh. She shifted so that she was on her knees, placing both hands on either side of House and leaning in for a firm, seductive kiss. House pulled her closer so that she laid on top of him, feeling her soft breasts against his chest, the strong muscles of her back, her soft lips on his, her tongue rolling around in his mouth.

"Mmmm…" In one swift move, Avery's shirt was off her body and on the floor, House's hands sliding from her back, up her ribcage to play with the soft flesh of her breasts. His fingers found her nipples, gently rolling them around, making her gasp softly with delight. She left his lips, lightly nipping at House's neck, working her way down to the collar of his t-shirt.

"Ah…damn, babe. That's too good…" Straddling him, Avery pushed House's t-shirt up and over his head, tossing it so it joined hers on the floor. She continued kissing him, planting them from the base of his throat, down the middle of his chest, down his stomach, stopping at his belt buckle.

Avery slid onto the floor so she was on her knees. She gently guided House's legs so both his feet were on the floor, Avery between his legs, working his belt buckle, quickly undoing both the buckle and the button, slowly unzipping his jeans, teasing, torturing. House's breathing changed, now rough and ragged with barely contained need. Avery tugged at House's jeans and boxers so that they slid down around his ankles, then planted small kisses near his core, making him growl with pleasure.

Avery's tongue flicked the tip of his shaft, then rolled around the tip before finally taking it into her mouth. House grabbed the back of her head and growled louder, spurring Avery on as she continued moving up and down on him.

"Stand up." House's voice was rough and thick as he pulled Avery roughly to her feet. He hurriedly untied the lounge pants so that they dropped and pooled around her feet. She quickly stepped out, and House pulled her to him so she was straddling him.

There was nothing between them now. "Nice…" He muttered as his hands roamed over her now naked body. House maneuvered Avery and quickly slipped inside her, stroking roughly, feeling her tense, hearing the breath catch in her throat, her voice rising in pitch the closer she came to peaking.

"Baby…" Avery's voice was whisper soft in House's ear as she went over the edge, collapsing against his chest, taking House with her. House clutched Avery to him, his breath still ragged from exertion and desire. Avery nuzzled his neck, her arms still wrapped around his ribcage.

"You're too good to me. You know that?"

"Get the hell out of here." House let out a low chuckle. "I think it's the other way around. One of us is confused here."

"Tell me something." Avery lifted herself so that she could see House's face. "Why did you tell me to stand up?"

House's face turned serious as he stroked Avery's face. "You're too good to be on your knees. You don't belong there." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "If anything…I should be at your feet. Metaphorically speaking, of course."

Avery felt a lump rise in her throat. She couldn't help comparing House with Bryan once again. Bryan, who would almost always push her down to her knees, forcing her to give him head. _"A woman's got to know her place. On your knees, bitch."_

She fell against House again, a few tears leaking out and falling on his chest. "What's wrong, babe? Was it something I said?"

"No, not at all." Avery assured House, kissing his on the lips again. "I just…thanks for being you. That's all."

House laughed again, a low, throaty sound. "I can't think of a time _anyone_ has ever said that to me. That's definitely a first." He lightly smacked her bottom, gently moving her off his lap. "I need a shower…care to join me?"

Avery laughed, her spirits up once again. "Of course. Who wouldn't want the chance to lather _you _up."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Matthews. Race you to the bathroom…"

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	15. Come Out And Play

**Warning: Major character injury ahead. Otherwise, normal disclaimers apply. Avery and Bryan are mine, not the House folks.**

They finally made it to bed that night, their shower turning into…more than they planned. House collapsed happily into bed afterwards, Avery curled up against his side, one leg thrown over his, sighing contentedly as she fell asleep. His body was relaxed, even though he knew his leg would be killing him in a few hours. Hell, he didn't care. The damn thing could be on fire, and he wouldn't care. All that mattered to him right now was lying next to him, snoring softly, peaceful at last.

As he lay awake, his brain still clicking away, he could have sworn he heard a strange vehicle start up and pull away. He was attuned to the noises of his neighborhood at night, as he spent so much of that time awake. Something seemed off, but he dismissed it. He didn't want to worry Avery unnecessarily.

That damn note was still foremost in his mind. If that man was anywhere near Princeton, there was going to be trouble. House didn't know if he could protect Avery so effectively next time around. That cane trick was only good once, he suspected. Bryan would surely escalate things. House attempted to put it out of his mind in the interest of something resembling a decent night's sleep. He pulled Avery closer to him, as if by holding her close, he could somehow keep her safe. He wasn't so sure he could anymore.

Bryan sat in his car by the curb, observing the activity in the apartment over the evening. What he saw filled him with rage. Avery was clearly enjoying what that old bastard was giving her. How dare she?! Didn't he give her everything she ever wanted? What was he giving her that he couldn't? It just didn't make sense.

He had actually gotten out of the car, making it as far as the apartment door before he heard the laughter and soft words of love coming from the other side of the door. It sickened Bryan. He had thought at one point that Avery Matthews was a woman of class, but it was clear to Bryan that she was nothing but a common slut. That had to be the only reason she was spending time with a man like Greg House.

Bryan had done his homework on Greg House. Yes, he was a successful doctor, a brilliant man, top of his field. He also had a reputation for being difficult, overbearing, arrogant. The man had gotten kicked out of Johns Hopkins for _cheating_, for Christ's sake! No marriages, no children, and a penchant for ladies of the night. What a worthless piece of shit. Avery had sunk to new lows by hanging with this…Bryan couldn't even bring himself to call House a man. House was a dog, a rotten dog, and he had to be put down.

Greg House would regret the day he shoved Bryan into that wall. Bryan had ways of dealing with common bullies…and sluts.

Avery awakened to the sight of a stunning pair of blue eyes staring at her. It was a bit disconcerting, since usually he was still asleep when she woke up. She noticed that his eyes were bloodshot, more so than even after a bad night.

"Did you sleep at all?"

House turned over on his side, stroking Avery's shoulder. "Enough."

"Liar." She kissed his nose and gracefully rolled out of bed. House was lucky enough to get a nice view of her backside before she slipped her robe on. He didn't think it was a sight he could ever get enough of, and it was enough to get him rolling out of bed as well, although not nearly as gracefully.

The smell of coffee wafted into his nose as he finally stumbled into the kitchen. He placed his hands on either side of Avery, resting them on the counter, kissing that lovely neck, inhaling her signature citrus scent.

"Hey now…_some _of us have to be at work before 10, you know…"

"So call Cuddy and tell her you'll be late. Morning consult with the head of diagnostics. I'm sure she'll understand."

Avery snorted, placing a mug full of coffee on the counter near House's hand. "Somehow I think that's one that only works once. She'll know something's up if I try that one again."

House rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine…party pooper. I'll just have to pick this up…later." He nipped at her neck before letting her go and picking up his coffee cup. "Dark and sweet…"

"…just like you like it. I know." Avery answered back from the dining room, where she was gathering her things for the day. "Am I going to have to hear that for the next 20 years?"

"I sure as hell hope so." House grinned at her, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "See you later."

"Bye, Greg." Avery opened the apartment door and stepped outside. A light dusting of snow had fallen the night before, and Avery noticed footprints right outside the outside entrance. They could have belonged to anyone, and she dismissed them.

As she brushed off her car, she once again noticed a piece of paper tucked under her wiper blade. Avery held her breath, assuming it was yet another note from Bryan. _The man never was very creative_, Avery mused as she opened the note.

_Avery:_

_Missed you last night. Call me when you're done whoring around with that old cripple. I'll be waiting._

_Bryan_

She was familiar with his tactics. When sweet words didn't work, he moved to thinly veiled verbal abuse. Soon he would escalate, whether she responded or not.

Avery crumpled the note and shoved it in her coat pocket before leaving. She would pull Greg aside later to keep him in the loop. For now, though, she would head on to work as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

House ambled into his office after collecting his messages from the front desk. The top one caught his eye, marked 'urgent'. That was a rare one. He pulled his reading glasses out of his shirt pocket and shoved them on his face, tilting his head slightly to make out the receptionist's scribble.

There was a phone number but no name. _Interesting._ Not quite interesting enough to handle right now, though. He set it on his desk with the rest of his clutter, sort of intending to call later, if he got around to it.

Wilson strode in as House was shuffling papers around his desk. "Hey, I found a couple of good pain management people for you to check out if you're still interested."

House motioned for Wilson to hand them over. He glanced at the names, one was at Princeton General, the other in Newark.

"They're both good. I guess it depends on if you want to stay local or not."

"Local's good. Nobody here at Plainsboro?"

Wilson shrugged. "I thought that maybe…maybe this was a piece of business you wanted to keep to yourself. You know, just in case…"

House nodded in appreciation. Sometimes, Wilson really got it. Not often, but often enough. "I'll probably give the PG guy a call later." He tucked the cards into his shirt pocket along with his glasses.

Wilson left and House limped into the conference room, where his team was perusing another case file. This one looking interesting, more so that the supposedly 'urgent' message he received earlier, and soon the team was bouncing ideas around, House scribbling on his whiteboard.

Outside the main entrance, Bryan's anger was building. Avery still hadn't responded to his note, and House had completely ignored his phone message, despite the fact he had told the receptionist it was urgent. He would put that son of a bitch in his place soon enough, and Avery would realize who she truly belonged to.

He collected himself and strode confidently into the hospital, stopping at reception for directions to Gregory House's office. When he explained that he was an old friend of his from Chicago, the receptionist gave him a funny look, but gave him directions. Soon he was riding the elevator to the fourth floor, one step closer to his destiny.

Bryan was almost giddy when he arrived and stepped off. He consulted the directory, and couldn't help but notice Avery's name. _Head of Cardiology. Well, lah-di-fucking-dah. So she thought she was one of the big dogs now. We'll see who's in charge now._

He walked down the corridor, noting the names on the door. _James E. Wilson, Oncology. Avery S. Matthews, Cardiology. Gregory House, Diagnostic Medicine._ Bryan's face twisted into a smile as he saw House and the other three doctors discussing something, House waving his arms around wildly while the black man and the short guy looked at him skeptically. There was a pretty young woman in with them, making notes in the chart, her graceful hands twitching slightly. Bryan didn't figure any of them would give him any trouble. He took a deep breath, calming himself. _House is a dog, a rabid dog. He must be put down. Nobody takes Avery from me. She's MINE._

He pushed open the door of the glass-enclosed conference room. Bryan was hoping to find House alone, but that just wasn't in the cards today. It didn't matter. He had a message to send, and he didn't care who was around when he delivered it.

Three heads turned in puzzlement at the figure that walked into the room. Bryan nodded silently to the three as House continued to scribble on the whiteboard.

"Cat's got your collective tongue? Let's get some ideas up here, people."

"I've got one for you, Doctor House."

_Bryan. FUCK. What is he doing here?_ "Bryan…I'd say it was good to see you again, but…we both know that's a lie."

Bryan smirked. He would not be distracted by House's mocking, sarcastic ways. "You have something that is very important to me. I've come back to reclaim it."

House rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation already. You tried to intimidate her, I jacked you up against the wall, nearly cut off your…breathing. Good times." He tried to keep his tone light to cover up his increasing agitation. House had no clue what this dumbass was going to try to do, so staying one step ahead was nearly impossible. He just hoped like hell his team would react quickly if need be. "The upshot is…you don't own her. I don't own her either. I'm just the lucky son of a bitch…"

House never got to finish. In an instant, the conference room exploded, and House was slammed to the floor, his left shoulder on fire. He heard the flurry of activity as he faded into unconsciousness.

**Yes, I know. I'm leaving you hanging. I'm evil. Hang tight, all will be revealed. Push the button and tell me your thoughts.**


	16. Out Of Harm's Way

**I tried not to leave anyone hanging too long. Insert the disclaimers...I don't own House or anything associated with House. Avery is mine, all mine.**

In their respective offices, Avery and Wilson heard loud popping noises in the direction of House's office. Both of them rushed out of their offices, meeting in the hallway.

"What the hell was that?!" Avery's voice rose in shock and surprise.

"Can't say for sure…but I think I've heard it before…" Wilson ran down the hallway, Avery not far behind.

A blurry figure flew out of the conference room and down the hallway, nearly knocking Wilson over. A cacophony of raised voices flowed out of the conference room, and Avery felt panic rising in her throat as she strode toward House's office and the conference room.

Wilson arrived first, and the sight made his heart jump into his throat. It was like reliving a nightmare. House was laid out in front of the whiteboard, bleeding profusely from what might have been his chest. Wilson couldn't get close enough to see, and Thirteen was blocking his view as she worked on him. Taub was alerting security and getting emergency services for House, and Foreman immediately blocked the door way.

"Keep her out of here." Foreman gestured to Avery. "She doesn't need to see this."

"What happened?" Avery showed up right behind Wilson, attempting to push her way through into the conference room. "Where's House?!"

Wilson took Avery by the shoulders and gently guided her away from the doorway. Avery caught a glance at the figure sprawled out on the floor. She couldn't see much, since Thirteen was bent over him, but she would know that figure anywhere.

"Greg? Oh my God…" Avery started shaking, tears forming in her eyes. "What the fuck _happened_?"

Foreman stepped out into the hallway so the emergency team could get into the conference room. "Some guy came into the conference room to talk to House, House got smart with him, and next thing you know…" He was clearly shaken by the experience. "I never thought this would happen _again_. This is just…" Foreman shook his head, stunned. He reached out and touched Avery on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Matthews."

Security and the Princeton police soon showed up to take statements and descriptions. When Avery heard the descriptions, her blood ran cold. _Bryan. It could only be Bryan._ He had come to exact his revenge, just as he'd threatened.

Suddenly her tears turned to anger, righteous anger. She strode over to the police officer.

"Excuse me." She gently tapped the officer on the shoulder. "I believe I might have some useful information about the suspect."

House opened his eyes, immediately overwhelmed by the activity going on around him. He was in the emergency department, he knew that for sure. For a moment, he couldn't remember why.

Cameron was working over him, and for some reason the idea made House smile. He looked over at her with a silly grin.

"Hey, Blondie. Long time no see."

Cameron flashed him a quick smile as she continued working. "Hi, House. Do you know where you are?"

House nodded. "ER. Not sure why, though…"

"You got shot, again. Who'd you piss off this time?"

"Avery's ex-fian..fian…boyfriend."

_Avery? Oh…Matthews. So the rumor was true. _Cameron smiled a little wider. "Way to go, slick."

House tried to focus on Cameron, but she was going all fuzzy on him. "Yeah…what happened?"

"Two gunshot wounds to the left shoulder, and a minor laceration on the back of your head where you fell against the edge of your whiteboard." Cameron snapped off her gloves. "The bleeding's mostly stopped, but you'll need surgery on that shoulder once you're fully stabilized."

"Feeling pretty good right now…" House mumbled.

"Thank the morphine." Cameron chuckled and squeezed House's hand. "The bullets ripped right through your shoulder. Pretty heavy caliber, they think. It could have been a lot worse."

House nodded slowly, sort of understanding. "Think I'm gonna sleep now…tell Avery…" He was out before he could finish.

After the incident, Cuddy tried to send Avery and House's team home for the day. The team insisted on staying and working on the patient, with Foreman leading the differential in House's office. Avery knew she would only sit at home and worry about House, and also elected to stay, asking for Cuddy to contact her when she got more information about House.

She tried to stay in her office, but found herself drifting away from her work. Damn Bryan. If she had never left Chicago, none of these people would have ever gotten involved in her personal mess. But if she hadn't left Chicago, she never would have met Greg…

Her tears started anew, and Wilson happened to be walking by when the latest round started. He quietly tapped on her open door.

"Come in." She tried to choke back her tears before Wilson walked in. "Oh…hi, Wilson."

"Matthews…" Wilson immediately wrapped Avery in a bear hug. He was slightly shorter than House, and maybe a little thicker. Wilson almost cut off Avery's oxygen supply with his killer hug. She supposed this was part of why House snarkily referred to Wilson as an oversized Care Bear. Right now, she didn't care. She needed the comfort.

"I'm going to go grab some coffee. Want to come with?"

Avery sighed. "Sure, I'm not getting much work done anyway."

They walked to the elevators, briefly glancing back at the conference room that was now crossed with yellow police tape.

"I need to walk down there." Avery announced suddenly, turning around and walking back down to the conference room. Wilson shrugged and followed her.

Avery peeked over the taped doorway that led to the conference room. Chairs were tipped over, the whiteboard crashed to the floor, markers scattered everywhere. Her eyes finally settled on the pooled blood on the carpet. She took a deep breath, trying to imagine Greg's bleeding body sprawled out there.

Finally she turned away, joining Wilson for that cup of coffee. She hoped like hell they caught Bryan, and soon. Suddenly she felt more alone than she had in ages.

Wilson and Avery were in the cafeteria nursing their coffees when Avery's pager went off. The message was simple. "House stable. Room 325." She smiled broadly, relief washing over her.

"He's been moved. I'm going to go see him."

"I'll join you…if that's okay."

Avery nodded. "Fine with me. Let's go."

The pair stepped into House's room. Avery's breath briefly caught in her throat. Wilson nudged her, teasing her slightly. "Get used to this. It happens from time to time."

House stirred and turned his head toward the sound of Wilson's voice. "Get your paws off her, Wilson." His voice was barely more than a whisper, and certainly not its usual strength. Avery immediately rushed to House's side, pulling up a chair.

"Hey, you."

"Hey yourself." House smiled weakly. "So…how's your day?"

Avery chuckled. "Better than yours…but not much."

The smile faded from House's face. "Yeah…about that…I should have done more…"

"What the hell were you going to do?"

"I should have just killed him when I had the chance. Would have saved a lot of trouble."

"Mmm…nah, visiting you in jail just wouldn't have been the same." Avery took House's hand and kissed his forehead. "There was nothing you could have done. Once Bryan gets an idea in his head…he can be pretty unstoppable."

"They catch him?"

"They're working on it. I gave them a pretty solid description."

"Nice." He tried to lift Avery's hand to his lips, and instead settled for a quick squeeze. "Wilson, get over here."

Wilson took the other side of House's bed. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

House glared at him before speaking. "I need you to put Matthews up for a while."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Um, hello, don't I get a say in this?"

House turned back to Avery with the same glare he had turned on Wilson. "Not while that asshole's still running around. I don't need him coming after you again." He squeezed Avery's hand again. "Just trust me. Wilson will take good care of you." House's eyelids started drifting shut. "Love you, babe."

"Love you too, Greg." Avery squeezed House's hand and placed another kiss on his forehead. "I'll see you soon."

Avery stopped at her place to drop off her car before meeting Wilson there. She gathered a few things before asking Wilson to stop at House's . Avery realized she had almost as much stuff at House's as at her own apartment. Maybe he did have a point…but that was another discussion for another time.

She and Wilson walked into House's apartment, and Avery wandered through, picking up the things she would need for a few days' stay. Was it only this morning House had been leaning against her on the counter, gently teasing her, trying to talk her into going in a little late? She felt the tears spring to her eyes again, and she blinked to clear them. If she had gone in when he had, it was likely that Bryan would have gotten to her, too.

"Matthews, are you okay?" Wilson called out to her near the door.

"Fine, Wilson. Be right there." She collected herself and left the apartment with Wilson. It would only be for a few days, and then, hopefully, things would begin to get back to normal.

**This is where you push the button and give me some feedback. Go on...**


	17. Let The Healing Begin

**Back again! Once again, I don't own the House characters, just Avery.**

The next month passed in a blur for Avery. Between House's recovery and Bryan's arrest and upcoming trial, she hadn't even thought about the upcoming holiday. She smiled to herself on her drive back to House's that night after work, a plot forming in her head. Avery speed-dialed Wilson as the wheels in her head turned.

"Wilson."

"Hey, it's Matthews. You have some time tonight?"

"Nothing I can't move around. Why, what do you have in mind?"

Avery gave Wilson directions to a local Christmas tree lot. Wilson shook his head in amusement. "You realize what he's going to do, right? He looks forward to Christmas the way most people look forward to a root canal."

"I know…It's a chance I'm willing to take. I mean…it's not like I'm at my place often enough to justify decorating, you know."

Wilson chuckled, as much amused by the idea of Avery decorating House's apartment as he was by the assertion that Avery was hardly ever at her own place. "Tell me again why you two insist on pay two rents?"

Avery rolled her eyes. "We've been over this. Stop beating the dead horse and come help me pick out a damn tree already, okay?"

"Okay, okay. I'll be there. See you soon."

"Bye."

As Matthews hung up, Wilson pondered the connection between Matthews and his best friend. He didn't know what would come out of asking the then new head of cardiology for a simple favor one rainy night, but he certainly hadn't expected what had developed over the last several months. Wilson had finally gotten a chance to get to know her over the last month or so, and he saw what House loved about her. Sure, she was unbelievably gorgeous, but there was so much more to her than that. Matthews had a core of steel wrapped in velvet, and she had actually managed to soften the abrasive House.

Not to say that House had suddenly turned into a teddy bear, but…he was infinitely more pleasant to be around. House's response was usually some snarky comment about how getting laid more often improved one's mood, but Wilson knew there was more to the story than that. That slow, genuine smile that crept onto House's face whenever he talked about Matthews, even when he complained about her gave him away. This last month seemed to drive them even closer together, House allowing Matthews to take care of him in a way he never allowed anyone else to do before. _Maybe an old dog can learn new tricks after all. It is the season of miracles, after all._

Wilson pulled into the lot to see Matthews standing outside her car, her eyes sparkling like a child's. Yes, she was a stunning woman. House was a lucky man, that was for sure. He felt a tiny pang of jealousy, quickly stuffing it down and chiding himself as he approached Matthews.

"Wilson!" She grabbed him in a quick citrus-scented hug. Matthews clapped her leather-gloved hands together in child-like excitement. "Come on, let's go find a tree."

They soon found a suitable tree and the two of them heaved it to the roof luggage rack on Matthews' Subaru Forester, tying it securely.

"Meet you back at House's?"

"Oh, no…I really should head home."

"That wasn't a question, Wilson." Matthews fixed him with a slight smile. "You're as important to him as I am, probably more. Besides, how am I supposed to get this tree into the building by myself?"

Wilson shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Fine, you win. I'll see you there."

"Thought you'd see it my way." Matthews grinned. "See you in a bit."

House heard two cars pull up, first Matthews, followed by Wilson. He had become even more aware of the neighborhood sounds, if that were possible. He laid on the couch, absentmindedly rubbing his shoulder. The bullets that had ripped through were going to leave a pair of gnarly scars once they healed, but those scars were the least of his worries.

Avery hadn't had a decent night's sleep since the incident. Neither had House, but he wouldn't let her know that. Besides, he still had all day to catch up on sleep if he wanted. He was cleared to return to work after Christmas, but as the time approached, House became more apprehensive. He'd been shot before, and while that time had hardly qualified as 'no big deal', this time was far different. This time was more…personal? House wasn't sure what the difference was. He didn't really feel like analyzing it right now, anyway.

Avery and Wilson came crashing through the door, and the smell of evergreen came in with them. Damn. Avery had bought a goddamn Christmas tree. House didn't know why he was so surprised. Avery often chatted about Christmases past with her family. It was a happy time for them, filled with warm memories of family togetherness. House, on the other hand, didn't have such pleasant memories. Christmas time was the same as any other time in his house, often loaded with hostility and anger between himself and his father. Even though his father was gone, it was a piece of his past House had trouble putting behind him.

Seeing Avery dragging that fir-scented monstrosity through his apartment, though, her eyes filled with child-like sparkle and excitement, brought a small smile to House's face. If Avery was happy…that was good enough for him. House would go along for the ride on this one.

Avery and Wilson found a spot for the tree in front of House's dining room window, and they set about filling the stand, setting up the tree, dragging in boxes of ornaments and lights that Avery had brought from her place. House observed the activity from the couch, and he had to admit the thing looked pretty good. When Wilson plugged in the lights, the glow reflected in Avery's face was…well, it was something to behold.

House heaved himself up from the couch, weaving a bit from the head rush of rising so quickly. Dammit, he was still so…_weak._ He hated that feeling. House pulled himself together a bit and limped over to the tree, leaning on his cane and placing a hand on Avery's waist.

"Gotta admit…you and Wilson did good." House planted a kiss on Avery's cheek, then glared at Wilson, poking him with his cane. "No smooches for you, Boy Wonder. It's good to see you, though." Wilson had made himself a bit scarce over the last month. House really hadn't seen him since he'd been released from the hospital. He was a bit hurt, but he kind of understood, too. Wilson had nearly lost House _again_. It was stressful for him, and Wilson always had to distance himself for a while after these things. Good on Avery for dragging Wilson along on her little escapade this evening. Wilson probably needed this as much as House did.

Avery smiled, observing the initially awkward interaction between the two men. They had a complicated history, but they needed each other. Water was a hell of a lot thicker than blood for these two, and she had to admit that she was glad she'd been able to convince Wilson to come along. House had become increasingly moody recently, and Avery knew it stemmed from a lack of Wilson. Once they got over their awkwardness, and Wilson saw that House was indeed _not_ broken, they slipped back into their easy banter.

"Okay, I'm going to start cooking. You boys play nice, alright?" Avery planted a kiss on House's cheek and touched Wilson's arm on her way to the kitchen.

"Yes, _Mom_." House called out mockingly, rolling his eyes at Wilson. "Like I'm really going to do anything." He turned and limped back to the couch, motioning Wilson to join him. "Come on, I've got to sit a minute."

The two men settled in on the couch, almost like old times. Wilson noted the prescription bottles lined up on the coffee table, along with a few dishes and a water glass. House's bourbon was notably absent.

"Damn, House, are you starting your own pharmacy again?"

House rolled his eyes. "New pain regimen. We're 'experimenting'. I feel like a fucking lab rat."

"At least you're trying. That's something you haven't really done before."

House glared at Wilson. "I _have _tried before. I just…" He shook his head. "Never mind. I'd rather not talk about it. Wouldn't want to jinx anything."

They fell silent again for a moment, House finally breaking the silence again. "I started PT this week. Mostly for the shoulder, but Helga seems to think she can do something for the leg, too."

Wilson laughed. "That's not really her name, is it?"

"Nah…I just like to mess with her. She's a good lady. Tough, though."

"You seem to like that."

House smiled, that slow smile that crossed his face when he thought of Avery. "Yeah…I guess they're both good for me. It's cool, you know?" House looked around, making sure Avery was still in the kitchen. He made a 'shh' gesture to Wilson, then opened a small drawer in the coffee table. "Now look, I'm going to show you something…don't you _dare_ shoot your mouth off to Avery, got it?"

Wilson nodded as House pulled a small box out of the drawer. His curiosity was piqued, no question. House opened it and handed it to Wilson.

Wilson whistled in appreciation. It was a simple gold ring, set with a sapphire, two smaller diamonds on either side.

"Do you think she'll like it?"

"Uh…_yeah._" Wilson grinned and punched House lightly in the arm. "You dog. I thought you said you weren't picking out rings."

"Well, it's not _that _kind of ring, you know." House rolled his eyes, secretly pleased with Wilson's reaction. "It's just…you know. A little something for putting up with my shit for all this time."

"That's more than 'a little something', House. Stop trying to downplay everything."

"Just don't want to get my hopes up for nothing." House wore a sober expression, snapping the ring box closed and placing it carefully back in the drawer. "It could still all go to hell. You of all people should know that."

Wilson turned and faced House. "Let me tell you something." He pointed toward the kitchen. "You've got something very special with that woman, and you know it. She's good for you, and you're…oddly enough…good for her."

"I can't tell." House looked down at his hands, twisting his fingers together. "I couldn't keep that son of a bitch away from her. Look how that turned out."

Wilson let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes. "That was no one's fault. You had no way of preventing any of that. What the hell, are you suddenly Superman? Nobody expected you to be the hero here."

"Damn good thing." House's voice turned inexplicably rough with emotion, his forehead resting on his hands. It broke Wilson's heart a little to see his friend so torn up. Wilson took a deep breath and risked invading House's space, gently placing a hand between his shoulder blades, not saying a word as House's breathing finally returned to normal.

Finally, House lifted his head, a bit of redness around his eyes. He narrowed his eyes at Wilson. "This never happened, got it?"

"Right." Wilson nodded in response, lightly patting House where his hand laid.

"Hey, food's on when you guys are ready." Avery's soft voice broke in.

Wilson rose from the couch. "Actually, I think I'll head home. Give you two some…alone time." He squeezed House's shoulder and gave Avery a quick hug. "I'll drop by tomorrow, if that's okay."

House nodded, still quiet after his brief show of emotion. "I'd like that."

"You're welcome almost anytime, Wilson." Avery added.

"Well…not if you see the stethoscope hanging from the doorknob…" House winked and twisted his mouth into a half smile.

Wilson chuckled quietly, rolling his eyes. "Right…see you tomorrow."

Wilson closed the apartment door behind him, staring at it for a moment before treading carefully down the stairs to his car. He was suddenly glad that Matthews had dragged him along on her Christmas tree adventure. That woman didn't need his help to haul that tree. But she had somehow recognized that the two men needed to see each other, needed to reaffirm their bond. The mission wasn't fully accomplished tonight, but the healing had begun for both of them. Wilson was determined to keep that healing going for House's sake as well as his own. Apparently they both needed it.

**Thanks to all of you who have added this to your alerts and favorites. Direct feedback is good, too. Hit the little button and tell me what you think. :)**


	18. Recovering What Was Lost

**Sorry for the delay. Life's gotten kind of busy. :) Still don't own any of them except Avery.**

They laid on the couch together after Wilson left, Avery's head in House's lap, eyes drifting shut. She hadn't really slept right in a month. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the _pop-pop_ and the chaos that followed. When she did sleep, Bryan was right there taunting her, threatening her. It was enough to drive a saint crazy.

Avery shifted a little, and House turned his attention from the glowing Christmas tree to her. He stroked her cheek, those piercing blue eyes examining her face. She thought they looked a little redder than usual, but that could be chalked up to his own intermittent sleep. He was sleeping even worse than usual, often tossing and turning, muttering in his sleep, waking up when his bumped his shoulder. Finally he leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

"Are you alright up there?" House's eyes flew open at the question. He smiled and brushed a finger along Avery's cheek.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

She smiled, allowing her eyes to drift shut. "Fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

"Yeah…I hear not sleeping will do that to you."

Avery huffed a little in annoyance. "You wouldn't know unless you were awake, too."

House scowled. "I can play catch up all day. You can't." He touched two fingers to his lips, then touched them to her forehead. "Look...you've got to deal with this. This can't go on forever."

"Said the pot to the kettle."

"I _am_ dealing with it." He sighed, stroking Avery's hair. "Look, I don't want to argue about this. Just…talk to someone. Do _something._"

Avery sat up, one foot tucked under her, taking House's hand in hers. "You know how you hated it when people would nag you about your Vicodin?" House half nodded. "It's the same thing. I will handle this in my own time. Stop nagging me."

House had to admit, Avery had a point. Not a very good one, but still. "Fine." He took her by the nape of her neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Just know that eventually, I'll bring it up again. How the hell are you supposed to take care of me if you don't take care of yourself?"

Avery laughed. "Do you think you're the only one who bugs me about this?!" She started ticking off names on her hand. "My mom, my _dad_, my brother, Wilson, Cuddy, Foreman…hell, even _Cameron's_ been checking in on me. It's ridiculous."

House twisted his mouth in an amused expression. "Cameron's good people. She's almost as smothering as Wilson, but…" His voice trailed off. "She's the one who worked on me in the ER. Apparently I mentioned you when I was under the influence."

"Ah…that explains it." Avery smiled and chuckled. "We've had a few nice chats. She's told me some stories about you…"

House looked slightly horrified. "She didn't tell you about our disaster date, did she?"

Avery pondered this. "Was that the monster trucks?"

"Uh, no. Totally different time." House shifted uncomfortably. "Let's just say…I'm still not proud of the way I acted."

Avery stroked the hand she still held. "That was then, this is now. You've changed since then, I'm sure."

"Nope." House briefly squeezed Avery's hand, then let go to push himself off the couch. "I'm the same old miserable crippled bastard I always have been. Now I'm just a miserable old crippled bastard in love. It doesn't really change anything."

Avery watched House walk towards the piano. He hadn't touched it since he'd been home, and she missed hearing him play. She rose from the couch and followed him, sitting beside him on the bench. This earned her a glare from House as he played a few random chords, unable to settle on a song. Finally the song started to flow from his fingertips, gently and quietly, his face set in concentration. Avery joined in on the vocals, her soft alto blending with his easy, flowing playing style.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas…let your heart be light…from now on our troubles will be out of sight…Have yourself a merry little Christmas…make the Yuletide gay…from now on our troubles will be miles away…"

House suddenly stopped, his eyes slightly downcast. Avery slipped an arm around his waist, pressing a kiss to his scruffy cheek. "You haven't always been miserable, and you haven't always been…"

"A cripple. A gimp. Pick your word. It's all the same to me."

Avery tilted her head. "Alright, what the hell brought this on?" House closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Nothing. Just…tired, I guess. I'm heading for bed." House kissed Avery's forehead and pushed himself to his feet. "Love you." He said it so softly she almost missed it.

"Love you, too." Avery's heart ached for him. Something other than his shoulder and leg were hurting. She just wished like hell she knew what it was.

# # #

Avery sat in the cafeteria, mindlessly nibbling her lunch and idly flipping through a medical journal.

"Mind if I join you?" Cameron's bright, cheerful voice snapped her back to the present.

"Please do." Avery smiled warmly and gestured to Cameron to sit down.

Over the last month, the two women had gotten to know each other, and had become quite friendly. House was their common bond, and subsequently House became their favorite subject.

"So…How's our guy these days?"

A troubled look crossed Avery's features. "I wish I knew. Physically he's better, but mentally…I'm not so sure. He's quieter, moodier…he's shutting me out. I thought Wilson visiting last night would help, but…"

Cameron smiled thinly. "Wilson's not a magic balm, you know. He can't cure House. None of us can, really."

Avery nodded sadly. "I know that, logically. Emotionally, though…different story. We have such a good thing going. I'd hate to lose him now."

"He'd hate to lose you, too." Cameron took a sip of her coffee. "House said some…interesting things when he was in the ER. A lot of it didn't make sense at the time, but when I started to put it together later…it clicked." She smiled, a genuine smile this time. "That man's crazy for you. He was so sure that guy was going to come after you next that we could hardly keep him on the gurney. It took three of us to hold him down just to get the sedative in him."

"Good Lord." Avery's eyes grew wide at Cameron's revelation.

Cameron reached out and place a hand over Avery's. "Look…sometimes, dealing with House is like dealing with a wild animal. One wrong move, and he bolts or attacks. This time…he was injured, he was scared, and he was looking out for someone other than himself. I get the feeling he hasn't done that much." She finished her coffee and rose from the table. "I've got to get going. If you wanted to keep this just between us…"

"Probably better that way." Avery nodded knowingly at Cameron. "Thanks for stopping by." She suddenly had a thought. "You know, you're welcome to stop by the apartment and visit, too."

Cameron shook her head. "Somehow I don't think that's such a good idea. I have too much dirt on him for him to feel comfortable around me. I'll try to call him, though."

After Cameron left, Avery sat for a while longer, pondering what Cameron had told her. If she was drawing the right conclusion…she and House had a lot to talk about when she got to his place.

# # #

House's eyes flew open when he heard the apartment door open. He lifted his head to see Avery walk in, the familiar sound of her heels clicking on the wood floors. Smiling, he let out a soft wolf whistle as she walked by.

Avery chuckled and followed the sound to the couch, where House was sprawled out in lounge pants and a t-shirt. "Hey, you."

"Hey, yourself."

She nudged him. "Got room for one more?"

"Oh…I'm sure arrangements can be made." He shifted, wincing a bit as his tender shoulder made itself known. Soon he was sitting up, Avery settled in next to him, leaning in for a firm kiss on the lips. "Whoa there…woman, are you coming on to me?!"

"Is that a problem?" Avery teased him with a smile.

House rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "Hello, have you met me? Hell, no, it's not a problem." He pulled her in closer, tentatively pushing forward with his tongue, gently tangling with hers. "Mmm…it's…been a while. I've missed you."

"Same here…" Avery's voice was soft as House made his way down her throat, pulling her shirt aside to gain better access to her collarbone, leaving a soft trail of kisses there as well. His hands tugged at her silky shirt, freeing it from her skirt and moving underneath to feel that soft skin and those luscious curves. She gasped softly at his touch, leaning forward to slip her hands under his t-shirt. "Let's move this…elsewhere. Somewhere with a little more room to…spread out."

A slow smile crept onto House's weathered face. "No argument here…" He pushed himself from the couch, following Avery down the hallway and into the bedroom.

"Lay down, I'll be right there." Avery fixed House with a wicked smile as House laid on the bed, watching her. She slowly unbuttoned her shirt and let it slide off her shoulders and onto the floor. House simply stretched out, a small smile on his lips, one arm behind his head and the other across his chest.

"You're not just going to stop there, are you?"

"Hmm…I don't know…maybe I should…"

"Damn shame, teasing an old cripple like that."

"Oh…you'll be all right. Old cripple my ass." Avery turned around and teasingly unzipped the back of her skirt, allowing it to slip off her hips, showing her soft curves. Her shoes and hose quickly followed, leaving her clad in nothing but a cream-colored lace-trimmed bra. She started to remove it when House stopped her.

"Leave it." His voice was rough and raw. "Get over here."

Avery quickly complied, crawling over the end of the bed and straddling House. He reached up, feeling the curve of her breasts under the silky material, playing with the nipples beneath. She moaned softly, arching her back slightly before pressing a slow, lingering kiss on House's lips. House pulled her closer, holding Avery by the nape of her neck, responding with equal force.

She left his mouth, brushing her lips along his jawline, stopping to gently take his earlobe into her mouth, rolling her tongue over it before sucking it and releasing it.

"Aaah…" House was twitching with pleasure as Avery's hands found their way under his shirt, easing it off his body and tossing it aside. She moved from his earlobe, down his neck, lingering at the base of his neck. He closed his eyes, stroking Avery's head, feeling her lips brush down his chest, her hands spreading out to his ribcage.

House's breathing became more shallow as Avery slipped her fingers under the waistband of his pants. Soft hands made quick work of both the pants and the boxers, and Avery felt rough hands pull her up so that she was face to face with House. His tongue tangled roughly with hers as he rolled her over onto her back, grunting slightly with the effort.

He eased his way into her, wanting to take his time with her. As she arched her back, he buried his face in her cleavage, inhaling her soft scent, pressing kisses along the edge of her bra. He heard her breath catch and felt her clench as she went over the edge, crying out softly as she took him with her.

House laid on the bed in a daze, Avery curled up on his right side, leg thrown over his. For the first time in ages, things sort of felt normal. The ache in his shoulder reminded him, however, that things weren't normal, and might not be for a long time.

**Again, thanks for all your support. Read, review, love.**


	19. Home For Christmas

**Standard disclaimers apply, I don't own them, never have, never will. Avery and her family are mine alone.**

After a brief nap, Avery slipped away from House's arms and got dressed. She had nearly forgotten her dinner plans, thanks to House's distraction. _Some distraction, _Avery thought, smiling to herself. _He hasn't lost a step. Old cripple, my ass._

As if he knew she was watching him, one of House's eyes popped open. He regarded her suspiciously.

"Where are _you_ going?"

Avery dropped a kiss on his forehead. "Getting ready to put some dinner on. It doesn't make itself, you know."

"Hmm…Okay, I suppose. You can keep me warm later." House grinned devilishly.

"Easy there, tiger." Avery laughed, grinning in return. "Wouldn't want to wear yourself out, would you?"

"Maybe I would. Wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to me."

Avery chuckled, squeezing House's foot under the covers as he turned over on his side. "I'll see you in a little bit."

"I'll be there."

After she left, House rolled onto his back, rubbing his shoulder again. It was sore after their activities, but it had been _so _worth it. He'd been unintentionally shutting Avery out, an old habit that would die hard. It was just instinct, born out of a desire to protect her from his pain. Funny how it never seemed to work that way.

Avery was either made of tougher stuff than Stacy, or he wasn't nearly as harsh as he used to be. Every attempt to keep her at arms' length was half-hearted at best. Maybe House was getting wiser with age. Stranger things had happened, he supposed. He only knew two things. One, he loved this woman fiercely. Two, he would do anything to keep her safe.

He had failed that second one, miserably. Bryan could have gotten to Avery at any moment after he took House down. He'd been bleeding, unconscious, _useless._ Completely fucking useless. Anything could have happened and he never would have known until it was too late. Damn, he could have lost her _forever._ The thought chilled him.

House finally heaved himself out of bed, frustrated by his non-stop ruminations. This obsessive train of thought wasn't getting him anywhere anyway. After some digging, he found his clothes, threw them on, and padded out to the kitchen. The leg _did_ seem to be hurting a little less these days, and he didn't feel as dopey as he did on the Vicodin. The true test would come when he returned to work. House had already told Rodriguez, the pain guy, that he wouldn't do anything that interfered with his thought process.

Avery was still cooking when House half-staggered into the kitchen. She heard him and turned around, hands on her hips.

"Didn't that PT tell you to use the cane at _all_ times?" Her voice took on an oddly scolding tone.

"But _Mooom…_" House whined mockingly, leaning in to nip Avery lightly on the neck. "None of the other cripples use one at _their _house."

"I suppose if all the other cripples jumped off a cliff…"

"…I would _so_ totally follow." House rolled his eyes and wrapped himself around Avery. "Now quit nagging me and feed me, woman."

She started laughing again, making a half-hearted attempt to wriggle free. "If you don't let go, you'll never eat, _man_."

"Oh, I'll eat…" House leaned in to whisper in her ear. "It just won't be food…"

"Oh, now that's just wrong…"

Avery's ringing phone interrupted their horseplay. She turned off the stove and answered.

"Matthews."

"Hello, love."

"Hi, Dad." Avery smiled at the sound of her father's voice. He sounded so much stronger than he had even a month ago. "How are you?"

"Better every day, dear. What about you? How's Greg?"

Avery paused briefly before answering. Her mom was the first person she spoke to after…the incident. She had broken down after everything and bawled like a child. "Better, Dad. We're both, you know, getting on with things."

"That's good, very good." Stephen paused, and when he spoke again, there was sadness in his voice. "We'll miss you at Christmas, you know."

"I know, Dad. I'll miss you guys, too. Don't worry about it. We'll find a time, maybe in the spring." She hated to go so long without seeing her parents, but her dad's recent stroke and House's still-healing injuries made air travel nearly impossible. She especially hated to miss her Christmas visit, but there was nothing she could do about that.

"That would be lovely. Your mum would love to see you and Greg again. Mostly Greg, though, I suspect. She finds him most fascinating." Avery heard her mother's melodious laugh in the background. "Well, must go. Your mum's got dinner on. Talk to you soon, love."

"Love you too, Dad. Give my love to Mom. Bye."

House tilted his head at Avery. "Everything okay?"

"Yes…just a little mutual bumming about not being able to visit for Christmas."

House looked baffled. "You're not going? Why not?"

"Because…" Avery kissed him lightly. "I don't want to be away from you for Christmas."

House huffed in exasperation. "This is your holiday, not mine. You should go."

"Hello, did you hear anything I said? I _said_, I want us to be together for Christmas. That is that."

House knew there was no way he was winning this argument. When Avery made up her mind…well, what she said. That was that. The woman would not be moved. "Fine. Just know you'll be stuck here with me, Wilson, and Chinese food on Christmas Eve."

"I can think of worse places to be."

"We'll probably have porn and hookers, too."

"Bring. It. On."

# # #

Avery sat in her office, trying to concentrate on the paperwork in front of her and failing miserably. It was Christmas Eve, and she couldn't wait to stop by her place to pick up House's gifts before heading over for the evening.

Christmas was her favorite holiday. She had many fond memories of Christmases with her family in Chicago, and while it bothered her that she wouldn't be able to make it home this year, she looked forward to celebrating her first Christmas in Princeton with House. The first of many, she hoped.

She had a feeling that Christmas wasn't a particularly happy time for House growing up. No wonder House tried to encourage her to go to Chicago without him. Avery wasn't going for it, though. She would have rather miss one visit home than be without House for too long.

Finally, at 5:30, she packed it in. Avery couldn't wait any longer. She logged off the computer, grabbed her coat and bag, and locked the office door behind her. Wilson was leaving his office at approximately the same time. They fell into step with each other going toward the elevators.

"Heading for House's?"

Avery nodded. "I've got to stop for a few things at my place, then I'll be there."

Wilson grinned. "Do you even remember how to get there anymore?"

"Oh, you funny, funny man." Avery rolled her eyes, mostly amused. "I'm there all the time, I'll have you know."

"Sure…to drop off and pick up."

"So I want to make sure my man's cared for. Is that a crime?"

"Not at all." Wilson took Avery's hand, squeezing it gently. "Matter of fact…I'm glad you two found each other. You just…work." He let her hand go with a quick smile. "I'll see you at House's."

"See you soon, Wilson."

# # #

House heard the pounding at the door and rolled himself off the couch. Avery was supposedly on her way, and Wilson wouldn't be far behind.

"Who goes there?"

"Greg! It's me! Open up!"

A slow smile curled his lip as he heard Avery's excited voice. "Hmm…I don't know anyone named 'Me'…"

"Greg!" There was a pause on the other side of the door. "I have presents…"

The door flew open, revealing Avery and her sparkling brown eyes and wide smile. She carried a shopping bag in one hand and her overnight bag over her shoulder. House greeted her with a kiss and a teasing grin.

"For someone who claims she doesn't want to live with me, an awful lot of your stuff seems to be ending up here."

"You, too?! Have you been talking to Wilson?"

"Nooo…I'm just saying." House peeked into the shopping bag. "I'll take that."

Avery snatched it away from him just before he took off with it. "Later. Wilson wasn't too far behind me."

"Curses, foiled again."

# # #

The three of them lounged in House's living room after stuffing themselves on a Chinese feast. House and Wilson's longstanding Christmas tradition was further enhanced by Avery's presence. Soon, though, Avery pushed herself off the couch and started cleaning up containers and plates and taking them to the kitchen. House followed suit and followed Avery into the kitchen.

Wilson wasn't quite sure what was happening. It wasn't like House to be so domestic, and Wilson was immediately suspicious, until he happened to notice the distinctly ring box-shaped bulge in House's pocket. Wilson grinned to himself and sat back in his chair, sipping his beer. This was going to be interesting.

Dishes clattered in the kitchen, and Wilson could hear House and Matthews chatting idly. He quietly rose from the chair and snuck over to the entryway to the kitchen.

"What are you doing in here?"

"What's it look like? I'm in my kitchen, doing dishes."

"Right. No ulterior motives?"

"Nope. None at all."

While Avery's head was turned, wiping the counter, House slipped the ring box out of his pocket and palmed it in his large hand. He waited for Avery to finish, and Wilson could see House's hand shaking slightly.

House seemed to tire of waiting, and reached out, touching Avery on the shoulder. She turned around, eyes going wide when he revealed the ring box.

House chuckled upon seeing Avery's expression. "Relax, this isn't what you think it is." He took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm not sure I'll ever want to get married, okay? All I know…" His voice dropped to a low whisper. "All I know is that…I love you, and I want you for as long as you'll have me."

He slipped the emerald and diamond ring on Avery's right hand, her shocked expression giving way to the biggest smile either House or Wilson had ever seen from her.

"Well…get ready. I intend to keep you around for a very, very long time." Avery pressed firmly against House's lips, pushing through with her tongue to tangle sweetly with his. They wrapped their arms around each other, shutting out the world, oblivious to a certain brown-eyed oncologist leaning against the frame of the entryway.

_Well, damn. The apocalypse is upon us. House as good as asked Matthews to marry him. Hell of a way to end the year._

"Merry Christmas, babe."

"Merry Christmas to you, too. May it be the first of many."

Avery finally noticed Wilson standing in the entryway. She nudged House, who turned around and rolled his eyes.

"The show's over, Wilson. You can come in here now. Looks like she's hanging around."

Wilson grinned and shook his head. "I'm going home. You two have a great Christmas."

"Night, Wilson."

House and Avery celebrated a quiet Christmas Eve curled up with each other on the couch, eating Chinese leftovers, opening gifts, laughing, loving. It was the best Christmas either could remember in many years, and perhaps the beginning of a new tradition for them.

**You know what to do now, right? Read, review, love. **


	20. Feels Like Home

**Insert disclaimers here: I don't own House, or any of the characters. I just own the OCs.**

The two of them spent a lazy Christmas Day watching movies and working their way through the remains of the Chinese leftovers. House's mother had called earlier in the day to wish them both a Merry Christmas, and while House rolled his eyes at her sentiments, they still had a good long talk. House told her about the ring, and Blythe was pleased, even if it wasn't the ring _she_ had in mind for Avery. "All in good time…", Avery had shouted while House was still on the phone with her, much to his consternation.

He closed his phone and glared at Avery. "You're going to give that woman all kinds of crazy ideas. Doesn't seem right coming from the woman who doesn't even want to live with me."

"Oh, will you stop?! Don't be like that today." Avery gave him a quick kiss before padding into the kitchen. "That's also not what I said, if I remember correctly. I _said_ we'd talk about it when my lease was up. In _April_. Get a grip."

"Sure." House huffed and looked annoyed. "So what will the story be in April? What'll be your excuse then?"

Avery looked puzzled. "What is with you today? Something on your mind?" _He doesn't really think…oh, of course he does._ She returned to the living room, two cups of coffee in her hand. House was at the piano, once again playing his random chords. Avery set one cup on top of the piano and sat next to House on the bench, laying one hand over his on the keyboard.

"Baby…I _do _love you, and I _do _want to be with you. If I haven't abandoned you after all this time, what makes you think I'm going to bail out now, or in the spring, or whenever?"

House shrugged. He couldn't help but think back to his post-infarction time with Stacy. She had spoken similar words, and then left anyway. Who was to say Avery wouldn't do the same? Perhaps she was just putting off the inevitable. House pulled his hand out from under hers and continued playing.

Avery didn't say anything. She just sat on the bench, coffee in her hands, listening to House play on. Suddenly he stopped, hands resting on the keys, chin dropping to his chest. Avery moved closer, and House glanced over at her, those big blues wide and soft, almost child-like.

"You must think I'm an idiot." House took Avery's free hand, stroking it gently.

"Now, why would you say that?"

"Because _I_ think I'm an idiot." House's mouth twisted in that familiar half-smile. "I've had a great day with the woman I love, and all I can think about is how the last one left me. Stupid."

"It wasn't this time of year, was it?"

House snorted. "No, nothing so obvious. I don't know. Christmas just does weird things to me, I guess." He started playing again, his dark mood lifting.

Avery was getting concerned about the sudden mood swings. She wasn't sure if it was the injury, the isolation, the new pain drugs, or some combination thereof. It wasn't her _job_ to analyze House, certainly, but the situation worried her. There had to be a way of broaching the subject without somehow offending him, but she damn sure didn't know how to go about it.

The wild mood swings bothered House, too. He almost preferred being consistently miserable and in pain to this madness. There was only so much even Avery would put up with before…something happened. House didn't want to lose her, not when he was so close to having something he never even knew he wanted.

Avery was right, of course. She had never said she didn't want to live with him. His doubting mind was putting its own spin on things, as always. Things were fine as they were. The less he analyzed things, the better off they would both be. He smiled a little, his hands flying across the keys in something a little more upbeat, watching Avery smile as he did so. God, he did love seeing her smile. There were few better things on earth than that, and that seemed like incentive enough to keep on keeping on.

# # #

House met up with Avery a few days later in her office after his PT session. That woman had worked him over good, and all he wanted to do was go home and collapse. He hung out in her office, waiting for her to pack up and leave. Before too long, he would be back in his office, back at his whiteboard, back…there.

He wondered if they had replaced the carpet this time. House recalled the tantrum he threw years before after the last incident. This time, though…yeah, they could take the damn thing. Matter of fact, he'd rather they did. He didn't want a reminder of what he had failed to do.

"I'll be right back, babe. Think I'll take a wander past the office."

Avery looked concerned but nodded. "I'll be here."

House limped out of her office and down the hall. His office was untouched, and he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Everything was there, just as he had left it almost six weeks ago. He took a deep breath and pushed through the door that separated the office and the conference room.

It was quiet, the team having already left for the day. The odor of new carpeting hung in the air, and for some reason, House felt oddly comforted. It felt like a homecoming of sorts.

When House didn't return, Avery picked up her things and walked down to House's office. Not surprisingly, he was standing in the middle of the conference room, in front of his beloved whiteboard, in that familiar leaning posture. Her mind briefly flashed to the vision of House sprawled out on the floor, blood everywhere, the whiteboard crashed to the floor. She shook her head to clear it and opened the conference room door.

He turned at the sound, flashing a quick smile when he saw Avery and putting his arm out to pull her close to him. His smile disappeared, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

"Hey you. Fancy meeting you here."

"Hmm…Imagine that." Avery chuckled and wrapped her arm around House's waist. "You'd think I worked here or something." She glanced at him, trying to get a read on him. "So…how is it?"

He nodded firmly. "Kind of like what they did with the place. It works for me." House kissed Avery on the temple. "Smells a little funky, but I guess I'll get used to it."

"Good." Avery had been worried about how House would handle coming back to the scene of the crime, as it were. It still troubled her to walk by there. Fortunately, she didn't have occasion to very often. She gave House a quick squeeze. "Ready to go?"

"Yep. Let's get the hell out of here. I'll see all this soon enough."

# # #

Soon they were headed back to House's, with Avery making a quick stop at her own place to check her mail and pick up a change of clothes. While flipping through the mail, she saw an official looking envelope. Avery was baffled, and she opened the envelope.

_Shit._ Bryan's case was finally going to trial. She was willing to bet money that House had gotten a similar notice. Avery folded the notice and slipped into her purse. With any luck, neither one of them would have to testify, although she knew that was a possibility.

There was nothing that could be done tonight, so she pushed her fears out of her mind and left. It was New Year's Eve, after all, and while she didn't have big plans with House, she did want to get the most out of the evening.

As she was leaving, her phone rang. It was Foreman, inviting her and House over for an impromptu party that Remy was throwing together. Apparently she was antsy and felt the need to ring in the New Year with as many people as she could cram into their apartment.

"I'll have to let him know when I get over there. I don't know if he'll want to go."

Foreman chuckled. "Tell him Remy's going to do body shots off Cameron. That'll get his ass moving."

Avery threw her head back in a hearty laugh. "Oh, no question. He'll rip my arm off dragging me out the door. I'll call you soon and let you know."

"Don't bother calling. Just come on over."

# # #

Avery let herself into House's with the key he had given her Christmas night. _I'm tired of hauling my ass off this couch every time you come knocking, _he had told her when he pressed it into her hand. The key was nearly as precious a gift to her as the ring had been. As far as she knew, she and Wilson were the sole possessors of that key. _Talk about an exclusive club._

"Greg?!"

"Kitchen!"

She found him examining a letter that looked very similar to the one she had received, an unreadable expression on his face.

"He's finally going to trial, you know."

"I know." Avery produced the same letter from her purse. "Look familiar?"

House frowned. "Wonder if we'll have to testify."

Avery shrugged. "I guess we'll find out…but not tonight." She slipped her arms around him, pressing her body to his. He responded with an arm around her and a kiss on the forehead.

She pulled away a little, looking up at him. "Foreman called me on my way here. Apparently Remy's in a party mood, being New Year's and all."

House rolled his eyes. "And how is that different from any other day?"

Avery fixed him with a wicked grin. "He told me to tell you that Remy would do body shots off Cameron…"

He nodded, a mock thoughtful expression on his face. "It'd be a hell of a lot hotter if she'd do them off you…" House arched an eyebrow, looking hopeful. "Any chance of that happening?"

"Who can say? The night is young, even if I'm not…"

"Okay. I'm sold. Let's go." House lifted Avery's chin, planting a firm kiss on Avery's lips, slipping in a bit of tongue for good measure. "On second thought…maybe we shouldn't go just yet. Wouldn't want to be _too_ early, after all…"

**Thanks to those of you that continue to add this to your alerts. I'd love some feedback, though. Read and review. :)**


	21. Out With the Old, In With the New

**Got a little long-winded with this one. :P Still don't own them, wish I did like I own Avery.**

Avery nudged House, attempting to get him moving. It was already 9:00, and while she wasn't opposed to being fashionably late, she did eventually want to make it over to Hadley's and Foreman's.

"Aw come on…there's nothing out there that we don't have here…"

"Except other humans. Come on, it's good to interact with others of your species."

"It's Foreteen. They hardly qualify."

She rolled her eyes. "Thirty minutes, and I leave without you. Then you'll have to rely on secondhand accounts of any body shots."

House considered this, then heaved himself out of bed. "Fine. But you have to promise me something."

"What's that?"

He limped over to her, tilting her chin up so he could look her in the eye. "Promise me that you are going to cut loose, have fun, and get absolutely shit-faced. You need it."

"Promise me a safe ride home and you have a deal."

"Done." House gave her a gentle kiss. "I've got too much other stuff in the system to make room for booze anyway."

# # #

Standing in front of Foreteen's door, House suddenly felt apprehensive. He was mostly here because of Avery. For his part, he would have been perfectly content to hole up in his apartment with the piano and the bourbon, only the bourbon wasn't really an option these days. Damn drug interactions anyway.

He grudgingly admitted that things _were_ getting better, pain-wise. The drug cocktail seemed to be doing more for him than the Vicodin alone ever had. This last six weeks he had nothing but time to adjust and heal. While the shooting definitely wasn't the best thing that happened to him, it did somehow serve as a catalyst for other changes. Would he have even attempted it if it hadn't been for Avery? He wasn't sure. He was only sure that he would do what he needed to do to ensure being around Avery for as long as he could.

Which led him to here, Foreteen's apartment, for a party that he normally wouldn't have attended if his life depended on it. Avery had convinced him that he needed to get the hell out of the apartment. Aside from doctors' appointments and PT, he hadn't really left the place since he was released from the hospital. Besides, Avery needed to get out, too. She wasn't designed to be a homebody. She needed this way more than he did.

Avery knocked on the door, and Thirteen answered, cheerfully tipsy already. House suspected that her personal party had started very, very early.

"Hey, you two, get in here! Good to see you!" She practically dragged Avery in, her green eyes glittering with…something indefinable. House glared at Thirteen, more in jest than anything else.

"Don't think you get to keep her all night! She doesn't roll that way anyway, I don't think…"

Avery glared back at House. "You are a mess."

House waved his fingers at Avery. "Have fun…I'll be around."

He stayed on the outskirts of the group, watching Avery when he could. It was kind of fun, watching her from a distance. Now that she had a couple of drinks in her, she was relaxing and having a good time. House finally had enough of the crowd and found himself out on the balcony of the apartment. He cracked open a Coke and snipped off the end of a cigar, lighting up and taking a couple of contemplative puffs.

House heard the door open behind him, turning to find Foreman joining him. Damn, just when he thought he'd get some alone time.

Foreman merely nodded in greeting, turning down the offer of a cigar from House. He took a long pull off his beer and gestured toward the living room.

"Looks like Matthews is having a good time." Foreman looked amused.

"If she is…it's all your girlfriend's fault." House peeked through the sliding door to see Avery chatting with Cameron and Thirteen, elegant hands waving wildly, the three women laughing at something. Suddenly her ring flashed, and both Cameron and Thirteen examined it, appearing to be suitably impressed, each giving Avery a quick hug. A barely suppressed grin crossed House's face. _Yeah, I gave her that. That was me. Be jealous, girls._

Thirteen poked her head out the sliding door. "Eric! You should see the ring House gave Matthews! It's _gorgeous._" She turned to House, a wide smile lighting up her face. "Nice work."

As she disappeared inside, it was Foreman's turn to glare at House. "See what you started? Now Remy will want one."

"Well, what the hell are you waiting for? How many _years_ have you two been together now?"

"She never wanted anything like that before. Something about not dragging me down with her when the time came." Foreman frowned and took another pull from his beer.

House nodded in quiet contemplation. "Yeah, I wouldn't know anything about that." He drained the remains of his Coke and leaned against the railing. Something occurred to House. He knew that his long term Vicodin use had done damage, and he, like Thirteen, didn't want to drag anyone else down with the inevitable end result of that overuse. It was still possible that the damage was already done, and that his time was already limited.

It wasn't that he never wanted what he had with Avery, it was that he never allowed himself to want it. Now that he had it…he was still conflicted. No wonder he alternated between affection toward her and pushing her away. Damn. He and Thirteen were more alike than he thought.

House stubbed out his cigar, puffing out his cheeks as he did so. "Look, Foreman. I'm only going to say this once, and I'll probably deny I said it after this." He scowled, deep in thought. "If you love her…do what you need to do. Buy her the damn ring, get down on one knee, whatever. Make the most of what's left."

Foreman watched House step back through the balcony door, still not sure what he heard. It _sounded_ like House, _looked_ like House, but it sure as hell didn't _act_ like House. Somehow it didn't seem like a bad thing.

He noticed Matthews grab House by the hand almost as soon as he stepped into the room. She was chatting excitedly about something, and House dipped his head down in laughter, a relaxed expression on his face, one Foreman had never seen. House wrapped his arms around her waist as Matthews reached up to place hers around his neck. He seemed to notice Foreman and stopped to tap on the sliding door with his cane.

"Get your own!" House hollered, giving Foreman a small wink before Matthews guided him away from the door and back into the small crowd. Foreman could do nothing but shake his head in response. House was still House, whether he was happy or not. All seemed right in the world, and Foreman left the chill of the balcony to go seek out Thirteen.

# # #

It was close to midnight, and Avery still had her arms around House's neck. Somehow she had convinced him to dance with her, at least a couple of slow songs. He really wasn't up to anything else, and seriously doubted he ever would be, but swaying to a couple of songs with this drop-dead gorgeous woman in his arms…not so bad, actually. House had impulsively pulled her in for a couple of long, slow kisses, earning giggles from a tipsy Avery and some teasing catcalls from the peanut gallery that surrounded them. For once, House didn't give a damn. She was his, and he was happy to prove it over and over.

Thirteen found a chair to stand on to lead the guests in the countdown to midnight. Fortunately, Foreman was there to keep her from falling off the thing as she scrambled to climb on. She waved him away and continued.

"_5…4…3…2…1…Happy New Year!"_ Noisemakers and horns blew around them, creating a cacophony of sound that House was sure could be heard for miles around. He drew Avery close to him in another of those long, slow kisses, she returning a bit sloppily in kind.

"Happy New Year, baby." Avery slurred, a silly grin on her face.

"Same to you, woman." House responded, amused at Avery's drunken state. She was still in control, but she had definitely accomplished the mission he had set before her tonight. This should be a fun ride home.

House looked around the room at the couples that surrounded him. Foreman and Thirteen held each other close near the chair she had been standing on, clearly in their own world. Chase was spinning Cameron around, Cameron's head thrown back in laughter at something Chase whispered in her ear. Even Wilson seemed to have found someone to ring in the New Year with. Avery confirmed House's suspicion that she was one of the newer clinic nurses. He looked happier and more relaxed than House had seen him in ages.

For once, House didn't feel out of place. So many times he found himself holding up the bar at one of these things, observing from the sidelines. Once again it dawned on him how he had slowly isolated himself from the world. House was grateful to whatever forces of the universe that brought Avery into his life, dragging him kicking and screaming back into some semblance of normalcy. Not that he'd want to do this all the time, but once in a while…yeah, okay. Not so bad.

His leg and shoulder were starting to throb a bit, sending out their familiar warning signs. House slipped away from Avery for a moment to take his meds in peace. Now that he was on an actual 'pain management' program, he didn't feel the need to draw attention to the whole process. Cameron came upon him as he was leaning against the kitchen counter, swallowing the pills and washing them down.

She wandered over to the counter, weaving slightly. House's head was bent down, and Cameron was unsure if she should approach him.

"House?"

He turned around with a small smile. "Ah, Blondie Number Two. Having fun?"

"You bet." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Nice to see you out and about."

"Blame Avery. She dragged me out here."

Cameron giggled. "She's a riot. I like her. And I like her with you." She reached out and patted his arm, perhaps a little heavier than she intended. "You two are just so _cute_ together. I'm really happy for you."

Drunk Cameron was funny and cute beyond all reason, but she was making House a little nervous. He didn't do well with great shows of emotion, positive or negative, and Cameron was positively gushing. Suddenly she wrapped him in a big bear hug.

"It's just so good to see you happy. I didn't think I'd ever see the day."

"Oookay…CHASE!" House quickly extricated himself from Cameron's grip. "Come get your woman. She's…gushing all over me. Make her stop!"

Cameron looked almost offended. Fortunately, Chase showed up to rescue them both. "Come on, Allie. He's not a teddy bear, you know." He turned to House, with an apologetic look. "Sorry about that. She gets a little…huggy when she's been drinking."

"Great for you, not so much for me." House rubbed his shoulder where Cameron had squeezed him so enthusiastically. "Take her home and work some of that off already."

"Everything okay in here?" Avery showed up, nearly as unsteady on her feet as Cameron. She saw House rubbing his shoulder, and her eyes grew wide with concern. "Are you alright, baby?"

Chase snorted, Cameron giggled, and House fixed them both with a glare. "I'm fine. The girl Care Bear here just went a little crazy with the hugging action." He place an arm around Avery and kissed her temple. "You about ready to bail out?"

"Whenever you are." Avery gave Chase and Cameron each a quick hug, then staggered off to find Foreman and Hadley to say her goodbyes. House followed, nodding to the pair and limping off to find Avery.

Cameron nudged Chase in the side. "See? I told you. Totally head over heels. You should see the ring he gave her. It's _fabulous._"

Chase rolled his eyes as he guided Cameron out of the kitchen. "Don't get any crazy ideas. You've got a pair of pretty fabulous rings already, you know…"

# # #

House and Avery finally made it out of the apartment and out the main entrance. A light snow had begun to fall, dusting Avery's hair and eyelashes. To House, she looked exceptionally beautiful.

"Watch your step, babe. It's a little icy." Avery turned slightly to make sure House was still behind her as she carefully made her way down the steps. She started to slip on the last one, and House caught her arm just before she took a tumble.

She smiled up at him, her brown eyes sparkling in the snow. "My hero."

House snorted. "Hardly. Seems I recall leaving you high and dry not too long ago."

"What are you talking about?" Avery looked baffled until it dawned on her what he was saying. "Oh…"

She placed both hands on his face, drawing it closer to hers. "How many times do I have to say it? None of this was your fault, got it? I don't expect you to play Prince Charming, the knight in shining armor, any of that bullshit. That's not you." She kissed him firmly on the lips, slipping her tongue into his mouth. "I love you as you are, you snarky old cripple, and don't you ever forget it."

"Ah, that's just the booze talking." House grinned a little under Avery's powerful kiss. "I'm surprisingly okay with that, though." He kissed her back, pushing harder than she had, drawing her as close to him as he could, earning approving wolf whistles and hollers from a small group of college boys staggering down the sidewalk. One of them broke away and stumbled toward House.

"Dude, you are, like, _so _lucky. She's _totally _hot." He gestured at House, looking for a fist bump. House just looked at the kid as if he were crazy.

"Get the hell out of here. Can't you see I'm _busy_?" Avery giggled as the young man, looking a little hurt at House's rejection, staggered back to join his laughing friends. House turned back to Avery. "So...mind if I take you home?"

Avery smiled teasingly. "By 'home', you mean your place, right?"

"Duh."

**This is the part where you give me feedback, the more the better. Push the button. :)**


	22. Rest and Recovery

**SMUT alert ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you. :) I don't own House, but I totally own Avery.**

On the short ride home, House realized something. A drunk Avery was a very amorous Avery. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. Normally, he wasn't trying to _drive_ when Avery was hitting on him. It was very distracting. Amusing, but distracting.

Avery was currently brushing her hand along his upper thigh, around the edges of his scar. He instinctively tensed up at the touch. It was the only other outward sign of his weakness aside from his cane, and it still bothered him after all these years.

She noticed and drew her hand away. "Sorry, baby. I forgot it was there."

"No big." House shrugged and glanced over at Avery. "So, have a good time?"

Avery nodded. "I've never hung out with Cameron and Hadley before. They're fun. And they _loved _the ring."

"Good." House grinned to himself. He was pleased that Avery liked her ring, and even more pleased that she had shown it off. Soon he pulled up in front of his apartment, deftly parallel parking Avery's Forester. It was a nice ride, something House considered for himself. If he could get one in black…yeah, that would be pretty sweet.

Avery started to get out of the car, but was still feeling a little dizzy. She didn't remember being such a lightweight. Surely Hadley added a little something extra to that rum and Coke. She could have sworn she only had one, but…she didn't remember the glass ever being totally empty, either.

"Whoa there, you lush." House limped around to her side of the car. "Lean on the old man, here." Avery grabbed at him, but not to walk into the building. She pulled House down to her for a long, passionate kiss.

"Okay, okay…you want me. I get it. Now let's get you inside. It's too cold for all that out here."

They were barely inside the apartment when Avery started to push House toward the bedroom. House snickered at her actions.

"Hey…let me at least get my coat off first! Crazy woman."

"Fine." Avery huffed impatiently and started down the hallway. "I'll meet you there. Don't be long."

"Count on it." Oh, drunk Avery was going to be fun, definitely.

# # #

Avery was laying on the bed, shoes kicked off, leaning back on her elbows when House finally limped into the bedroom. He arched an eyebrow at her as he toed off his shoes and climbed onto the bed.

"Hello, you."

"Hello yourself."

House straddled Avery, leaning down for a long, slow kiss. Avery reached up and ran her fingers through hair, pulling him to her by the back of his head.

"Mmm…I'm going to have to get you liquored up more often. You're fun."

House gently pushed Avery until she was on her back, taking her hands and holding them over her head, restraining her wrists as he went in for another lingering kiss. He could feel her chest start heaving and noises of pleasure coming from her throat. She was wriggling slightly under his hands, but House barely noticed as he moved from her mouth, brushing his lips down her chin and starting down her throat.

She gasped softly, and House knew he was finding all her hot spots, paying special attention to the spot where her collarbones met at the opening of her shirt. He lingered here before working his way around her neck, leaving a wandering trail all over her neck.

He sat up so he was resting mostly on her thighs, his rough hands lightly roaming over her chest and ribcage. His fingers found the buttons on her shirt and slowly started undoing them, watching her ever-changing facial expressions as he did so.

Finally House spread open her shirt, brushing his hands across her breasts and leaning down to place soft kisses along the flesh that swelled over her bra. He popped open the front closure, taking in the lusciousness that spilled out, feeling her nipples and bringing them to hardness. Avery moaned in pleasure, arching her back, taking all that House was giving.

Avery spread her hands out on his back, feeling the muscles flex under his shirt. He growled and buried himself deeper into her flesh, pressing small kisses from between her breasts and down her stomach. She tugged at his shirts, attempting to pull them over his head. He helped her along, slipping easily out of both the button down and the t-shirt and flinging them aside.

She reveled in the feeling of his rough chest hair against the soft skin of her own chest as he once again laid against her, roughly nipping at her neck, fingers tangled in her hair. He shifted slightly so he could undo her jeans and slip a hand inside, the wetness revealing the extent of her desire for him. House pushed the jeans and underwear down just enough to allow himself access to that soft, moist center, lightly stroking with his finger, evoking a louder groan from Avery.

"Mmm…like that, do you?" House whispered roughly in her ear.

"Yes…God, yes. You know I do…"

He pushed further, sliding one finger inside her while stroking her with his thumb. Just as she was on the edge, he pulled back, resting a hand on her stomach.

She nearly wailed with frustration. "Not yet, babe. Not yet." He unbuckled his jeans, and Avery quickly jumped in to help, nearly breaking the button and zipper in her impatience. Soon his jeans and boxers were off, crumpled somewhere near the end of the bed, and House prepared to enter her.

He teased her, slipping in just the head at first, toying with her, torturing her. Avery managed to kick her jeans off the rest of the way, wrapping her long legs around House, bringing him in closer. She was squirming underneath him, and he finally slid in, slowly pumping, maintaining a controlled rhythm.

She could feel herself getting close to that edge again, her breath growing increasingly ragged as he stopped again, pulling out, resting against her, brushing his lips along her neck. His fingers found her again, and he worked his way down until his mouth took over where his fingers had been.

Avery thought she would come undone. She was barely holding it together when he pulled away and repositioned himself, roughly entering her, stroking in strong, steady rhythm. She wrapped herself completely around him, riding the edge, finally going over, shaking and sweating with the exertion. House followed shortly, groaning and collapsing on top of her, breathing heavily, pressing a hard kiss to her neck, inhaling that her soft scent, this time a soft musk.

"Mmm…that's different. I think I like it."

Avery giggled, still riding high. "After all that, you're going to comment on my perfume?"

"What? It smells good. What else am I supposed to say?" He nuzzled her, then rolled off her to lay beside her. "As if you couldn't tell the _rest_ of it was good. Crazy woman."

"Oh, sorry. Must have been distracted. _Someone_ was giving me something good." Avery curled up next to House, lying on his chest. "Crazy man."

House chuckled, wrapping an arm around her. "Crazy for you, that's all."

"The feeling's mutual, trust me." Avery pulled away to attempt to straighten the covers and pull them over themselves. Once settled, they finally slept, the first decent night's sleep for either of them in ages.

# # #

Avery awoke, bright light blinding her. Her head was pounding and her mouth felt like someone stuffed it full of cotton balls. _So this is what a hangover feels like. I'd forgotten all about this part._ She hadn't felt this bad since her final days of med school, when she and her fellow students would blow off steam at whatever bar had the cheapest beer that night.

She stumbled out of bed and found one of House's t-shirts and her lounge pants. The t-shirt must have been from last night, since it still smelled like him, that gloriously spicy, musky scent. Speaking of House…he was nowhere to be seen.

Padding out to the living room, she saw no sign of him there, either. Avery started a pot of coffee and settled in on the couch after popping a couple of ibuprofen and a bottle of water. She was not moving from this spot unless she absolutely had to.

The apartment door banged open, revealing House and two grocery bags. He noticed Avery curled up in misery on the couch.

"Morning, Sunshine. Sleep well?"

Avery nodded, House's booming voice making her wince. "I feel like I've been run over by a truck, though."

"Well, you _are_ kind of an amateur drinker. I figured you'd feel like shit today." House step-thumped into the kitchen and started unpacking the bags. Soon he emerged with a cup of coffee for Avery, setting it on the coffee table before going back to the kitchen.

He returned with a bag of bagels, two containers of cream cheese, plates, knives, and napkins. Avery slowly sat up, stomach churning, head spinning. House gently pushed her back down to the couch with the tip of his cane.

"Stay put, woman. It's couch duty for you today."

"No argument here." Avery closed her eyes, hoping to sleep this hangover off. She hoped like hell Hadley and Cameron were feeling as awful as she was. It would serve them right.

# # #

House spent most of the day at the piano, alternating between playing and watching Avery doze on the couch. She'd obviously had a good time the night before, but boy, was she ever paying for it today. It was well worth it, though, to see her having so much fun.

Today was her day. Today their roles would be reversed. He would do the caretaking, and she would do the resting. It was the least he could do after all she had done for him, and it was about time for House to get back into the swing of things, anyway. Soon he would return to work, and life would return to what passed for normal.

He would have to find a way to keep up his PT schedule once he got back to work. That would prove to be challenging, and House had visions of directing a differential during his PT sessions. He was doing important work, or so that woman had said. His shoulder was definitely improving, and the PT seemed reasonably certain he could make some progress with the leg. House felt oddly hopeful for the first time in years.

At times he was irritated with himself for taking so long to do something about the leg. Maybe if he hadn't wasted so much time being bitter and angry, he could have done this ages ago. His last experience, after the ketamine, had left him wary and unwilling to open himself up to the possibility of failure again.

Yeah, that had worked out well. After the ketamine wore off, his Vicodin intake increased to the point of full-blown addiction, leading to…well, another not so fine Christmas memory. It was a time in his life he would prefer to just push back and forget about.

Now he found himself wanting to try again, wanting to make this stick. His growing relationship with Avery made him want to push forward, to do better. The thought made him smile even as it filled him with fear and doubt.

Avery stirred on the couch, turning to where House sat at the piano. Those lovely brown eyes blinked slowly, still filled with sleep as she sat up and stretched with the grace of a cat. She strolled over and took a seat next to him at the piano, pressing a light kiss to his scruffy cheek.

"Hello again, Sleeping Beauty."

"Same to you." She smiled, sipping at the now cold coffee and making a face. "I think this needs a warm up."

"Allow me." House took her cup and limped into the kitchen to reheat it in the microwave. He grabbed a pizza take out menu to peruse while he waited. "I'm calling for pizza. What do you want?"

"Whatever you order is fine. You should know that by now."

House chuckled. Wasn't it a pizza night that started this whole thing? He placed the order and pulled Avery's coffee out of the microwave, returning to the piano. Avery wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her chin on his shoulder.

"Any requests?" House teased Avery.

"Hmm…No, you pick something."

House pondered this while he picked out random notes. Finally it came to him, and he started playing familiar chords.

"She's got a way about her…don't know what it is…but I know I can't live without her…She's got a way of pleasing…I don't know why it is…but there doesn't have to be a reason anywhere…"

Avery smiled, kissing House on the cheek. "Romantic old goat."

"Hush, you. Go and blab all my secrets, why don't you?"

She flashed her right hand. "Too late, babe. You've been found out."

"Damn. Guess I have." A knock on the door interrupted the moment. "Ah, saved by delivery."

They spread the pizzas out on the coffee table, sprawled out on the couch, much like their first night together.

"If I leave some sauce on my face, will you wipe it off for me?" House teased.

Avery met his teasing grin with a slightly evil smile of her own. "If you're lucky, I'll do better than that."

House popped a piece of pepperoni in his mouth. "I knew I liked you for some reason."

**Music Credits:**

**Billy Joel, "She's Got A Way"**

**You know the routine by now. Read, then review. Love that feedback. :D**


	23. Back In The High Life Again

**Apparently the muse is alive tonight. Insert standard "I don't own them, never have, never will" disclaimers here.**

House strode into the lobby of PPTH, prepared to return to his office, his whiteboard, his _life_. He signed in at the front desk when one of the receptionists caught him.

"Doctor Cuddy wants to see you."

He chuckled. "I just showed up for the first time in two months. I can't _possibly _be in trouble already."

House took a deep breath and went straight to Cuddy's office, blowing by her assistant and stepping right in.

"Planning a pre-emptive strike, Cuddy?"

Cuddy lifted her head, smiling as she saw what stood before her desk. Right now, it was good to see him. That could change within the hour, as he charged in with some outrageous demand. She pulled a name badge out of her desk and handed it to House.

"New ID badges. Sorry about the picture, but you were kind of strangely unavailable that day."

House turned it over in his hand, a grimace on his face. "What's this about?"

"It's part of our new security initiative." Cuddy leaned back in her chair as she outlined the new procedures. "You scan in at reception, then scan in at each floor. There is a security desk on each floor by the elevators."

"Jesus. Is all this really necessary?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

House knew Cuddy had a good point, but he wasn't willing to give up that easily. "So I suppose you want me to actually _wear_ the damn thing, right?"

"That would be nice, House. Part of the purpose is to identify our employees and our visitors. That way no one can just…slip through." Cuddy stood up and looked House in the eye. "Next time, someone might not get so lucky."

"Fine." Like Avery, there was no point in arguing with Cuddy once her mind was made up. He clipped the badge to his sport jacket pocket and turned to leave.

"House?" He stopped and turned around, facing Cuddy again. "I know I'll regret this in about five minutes, but…it's good to have you back. It's been a little too quiet without you."

House smirked. "Well, I'd better start raising a little hell, then. Wouldn't want you to get bored, Cuddles."

He once again turned to leave, and Cuddy could have sworn that the man was standing a little straighter and looking a little stronger these days. She hoped that it was a change that would last.

# # #

House stepped off the elevator, nearly walking past the security desk. This was going to take some getting used to. He scanned in and started down the hallway to his office. House found himself suddenly antsy as he approached.

He pushed the door to his office, opening it and entering. In the conference room, Taub was starting coffee and looking over a case file. House plopped down in his chair, logging on to his computer and drinking a travel mug full of Avery's coffee.

Taub noticed the activity and came through the door that separated the office from the conference room. He handed House the case file.

"Possible case came in overnight. I was just reviewing it before Foreman and Hadley came in."

House pulled out his glasses, pushing them on his face before opening the file. 34-year-old male, presenting with respiratory distress and abdominal pain. Looked boring on the surface, but it could be just the thing to get him back into the groove. He pushed himself out of his chair and prepared to enter the conference room.

He froze at the door, apprehensive about entering. It didn't make sense. House had been here just days before and had walked in with no problem. Of course, he wasn't here to work then. Maybe that was the difference.

"Are you okay, House?" Taubasked carefully, not wanting to appear pushy or meddling.

"Fine." He answered sharply, then handed Taub the file. "Make some copies. I'm going to start making some notes."

Taub nodded and left, leaving House at the door. He finally took a deep breath and entered the conference room.

Aside from the new carpet and the new whiteboard, nothing had changed. Why, then, did he hear Bryan's voice as he entered the room? He gripped the table, his breathing increasingly shallow. It was as if he was reliving the whole damned incident.

Pushing himself away from the table, he paced around the room, absentmindedly rubbing his shoulder. When he heard the conference room door open, House nearly jumped a mile. It was just Wilson.

"Are you okay?"

"God, everyone's asking me that. I'm _fine_. I was just about to start that working thing."

Wilson nodded. "That _would_ explain the shaking hands and the shallow breathing. Who wouldn't get all giddy at the idea of returning to the scene of the crime?"

House rolled his eyes. "I told you, I'm fine. Couldn't be better. Now get out of here so I can get something done."

"If you say so. I'll see you later."

Taub returned with the case file, and he and House started looking over previous scans and test results. House noticed a heart ultrasound tucked into the file. If the guy was having abdominal pain and respiratory distress, why the hell would they have done an ultrasound on his heart? House didn't see anything immediately wrong, but decided to have it checked out anyway.

"I'm going to take this ultrasound to Matthews. Back in a bit."

Taub's smirk was barely perceptible. "If you're gone on your 'consult' for more than half an hour, I'm sending in Wilson."

House glared at Taub, then shook his head. "I don't do those sorts of 'consults' in her office. That's what janitors' closets are for."

# # #

Avery was working her way through case charts when her office door banged open. She couldn't believe she had actually missed that while House was gone.

"Look what I found in my patient's file." House tossed the ultrasound on Avery's desk. "Why would you do an ultrasound on a guy suffering respiratory distress and abdominal pain?"

"Good question. Let's have a look." Avery turned on her lightboard and attached the scans. She put on her glasses and took a closer look, frowning. Finally she tapped the third one.

"You might have a slight abnormality here." House stepped up behind her, one hand lightly touching her waist, leaning in for a closer look. "It's hard to tell because the scan is so grainy, though. I don't know whether it would be enough to make it diagnostically relevant."

"Hmm…well, I'll keep it in mind." House kissed her on the cheek as he took down the scans. "Never know when it will come up again. Thanks anyway."

"Hey." House turned at the sound of her voice. "How are things going so far?"

He sighed heavily. House was torn between letting her in on what had happened and just keeping it to himself. "Eh, okay, I guess. Kind of had a hard time in the conference room."

Avery nodded. "Be easy with yourself today, okay?"

House twisted his mouth into a half smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "No guarantees on that one. Depends on how things go. I'll see you later."

With that, he turned on his heel and stepped out of her office. Avery was concerned. House looked a bit on edge, but she wanted to tread carefully. Hopefully he would quickly get back into the work groove and wouldn't have too much time to ruminate about the conference room.

# # #

House returned to the conference room to find his whole team sitting around the table, perusing the case file in front of them. Foreman was writing on the board, but immediately stepped away when House entered.

"My markers, Mini-Me. Hand them over." Foreman snorted, but slapped the markers into House's hand. He picked up where Foreman left off, pausing for a moment. House moved the whiteboard to an angle where he could see the conference room door. He noted the team looking at each other and was moved to comment.

"No, I don't want my back to the door. I'm sure the reason is no mystery. Can we get back to the business at hand?"

Soon the team fell into its regular groove, debating, arguing, running back and forth doing tests and scans. House continued scribbling on the board as more possibilities and symptoms presented themselves. This seemingly simple case had morphed into something far more interesting.

He was deep in thought when the door opened. It was Wilson.

"Hey, free for lunch?"

House waved him away. "Later. Kind of busy."

He stared at the whiteboard, his mind working the pieces of the puzzle. Absentmindedly, he reached into his pocket for…his non-existent Vicodin bottle. Old habits died hard, he supposed. His leg and shoulder were sore, but the leg was nowhere near as bad as it had been. Still, he could stand to sit down for a while.

House dug his PSP out of his backpack, loading up a mindless racing game to help him put the pieces of the puzzle together. Just as he was about to set up a monster freeway crash, his team came back with the latest contrast heart scan.

He called Avery down to have a look. She pointed to different sections where she saw anomalies that would have gone unnoticed by a general physician. "Again, it might not be relevant, but it is cause for concern. It's definitely worth looking into." House sent the team on to investigate further, leaving him alone with Avery.

She tilted her head to look at him. He was looking a little tired around the eyes, but she supposed that could just be from readjusting to his normal work schedule. Avery had tried to convince him to do part time hours for a while, but he would not be moved. He didn't do anything halfway, even when it appeared he was just screwing around.

"Still taking it easy?"

"Hell no. I've got a case." He bent down for a quick kiss before flopping back into his office chair with his PSP. "Don't worry so much. I'm fine."

"Never said you weren't. I'll see you later."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

# # #

The team came back with further results that leaned more toward House's initial suspicions of underlying cardiac issues. Once Avery confirmed the connection, House was able to turn his patient over to cardiology for further evaluation and treatment.

He caught up with Avery as she was packing up for the day. She smiled broadly when House entered her office.

"Looks like you were right. Nicely done." House bent down for a brief kiss.

"Thank you, but all I did was confirm your team's suspicions. I didn't do any actual diagnosis."

"Still. The guy's alive, partly thanks to you. Ever consider switching over to diagnostics?"

"What, and give up all this? I think not."

House grinned, then squeezed her shoulder. "So…I'm thinking your place tonight. Haven't been there in so long I don't even remember what it looks like. Oh, wait. That should be _your_ line."

Avery laughed. "Sounds good to me. I wouldn't mind sleeping in my own bed, as long as you're there, too."

He rolled his eyes. "As if you even had to ask. Anywhere you are…that's where I want to be." He wrinkled his nose. "God, did I just say that? Somebody shoot me."

This time Avery rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I don't think there were any witnesses. Your rep is safe for now."

"Right." He moved his hand from Avery's shoulder down her back, patting her rear. "Let's get this show on the road, sister. This man's had a hard day, and he needs some sustenance." As they left her office and started down the hallway, House bellowed "FEED me, Seymour!"

"What do you want from me, blood?!" Avery countered as they continued down the hallway. Taub heard the pair as they passed diagnostics, where he was finishing up the charting. He didn't know Matthews very well, but she seemed to click with House. He was still as big a pain in the ass as ever, but he was mellower these days, and Taub was fundamentally grateful. House's better mood made his job a hell of a lot easier.

**Thanks for your continued support. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated. :)**


	24. And The Thunder Rolls

**Disclaimer time: No surprise, I don't own them. Be pretty cool if I did, though.**

House and Avery made their way to the parking lot, separating at his parking space. He lightly squeezed her hand affectionately as she left. As he was unlocking his car, he heard a voice behind him.

"Doctor Gregory House?"

House jumped, startled. "Who's asking?"

The young man held an envelope in his hand, holding it out to House. "You're being served. Sign here, please."

House signed the clipboard and handed it back to the young man with a glare.

"Thank you, sir. Have a good night."

House leaned against his car and tore open the envelope. _Damn._ As he suspected, he was being called to testify in the shooting. The same feelings that overtook him in the conference room washed over him now. He had hoped to just get back to work and put this whole damn thing behind him. Obviously the fates had other plans.

He tucked the subpoena in his inside coat pocket and climbed into his car. Thoughts and feelings threatened to overtake him, and the need to get to Avery was stronger than ever. Hopefully she could help him get this mess sorted out.

# # #

Avery was starting dinner when she heard the knock on the door. It wasn't House, as he would have simply walked in. She wiped off her hand and moved to answer.

An older man was at the door, a clipboard in his hand.

"Doctor Avery Matthews?"

"Yes?" Avery fixed him with a curious expression. "Can I help you?"

The man handed Avery an envelope and the clipboard. "Sign here, please."

Avery signed and handed back the clipboard. "Thank you."

The man nodded. "Thank you, ma'am. Have a good night."

She picked up a letter opener and gently tore open the envelope. As she suspected, it was a subpoena in Bryan's case. _I guess we're not putting this behind us just yet._ She sighed, set it aside, and returned to her dinner preparations, hoping to take her mind off this latest development.

House crashed through her door, a stormy expression on his face. His hands were shaking slightly as he hung up his coat and dropped his backpack to the floor. He strode into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Avery, one around her waist, one across her chest. The feeling that had been building on the drive over finally spilled over, and he emitted a shaky exhale, pressing a small kiss to the back of her neck, forehead against the back of her head.

Avery placed her hands on House's and waited for the emotional storm to pass. In time, House shifted to place his chin on Avery's shoulder.

"I got served." House finally spoke, breaking the tense silence. "Looks like I'll have to testify after all."

"Congratulations." Avery quipped sarcastically. "I got one of those, too."

"Damn." House released her and leaned against the sink. "For some reason, I thought this would be over by now. I don't know what I was thinking." He reached in his pocket for the vial that was no longer there, then smacked his fist against the cabinet in frustration. "_Dammit._"

Avery watched House limp away, leaning heavily on his cane. It broke her heart to see him like this. All the progress that had been made over the last two months seemed to disappear in an instant. She turned off the stove and made her way over to where House had flopped onto the couch, arm thrown over his head, a dark expression taking over his weathered face.

She sat down on the coffee table, watching him. Finally she held out a hand to him. He reluctantly took it and squeezed it.

"I can't say 'don't worry, everything will be alright'. You know that would be a lie." Avery squeezed back tenderly. "I _can_ say that we will get through this like we've gotten through everything else. Together." She bent down to kiss House's hand. "You're not alone in this anymore."

A slow smile crossed House's face. _You're not alone in this anymore. _That was all he needed to hear. He released Avery's hand and pushed himself into a sitting position. The rush that had overwhelmed him earlier seemed to fade away.

"Old habits die hard, I guess." He stood up and grabbed his cane, leaning down to kiss Avery's forehead. "This whole 'togetherness' thing is taking some getting used to. Doesn't mean I don't like it, though." House craned his neck to see into the kitchen. "So…food ready yet? I'm starving."

Avery rolled her eyes. The storm had definitely passed for now, and House's mind was back where it belonged. She couldn't help but think that there was more to come, but they would deal with that as it came.

# # #

The pair lay in bed that night, Avery curled against House in their familiar sleeping posture. Sleep was not coming so easily to House tonight. He kept reviewing the day's events in his head. The near-panic attack, the subpoena…it all threatened to open up barely healed wounds.

House pulled Avery closer to him. He didn't know how he would have handled this mess by himself. Of course, if it hadn't been for Avery, there might not have been any mess to begin with. The sudden thought threw him. It wasn't as if he blamed Avery for any of this, did he? Of course not. That would be irrational, and House was anything but.

He finally gave up on sleeping and gently slipped away from Avery, trying not to wake her. Hopefully he had remembered his PSP. Perhaps the distraction would allow his mind to relax, finally allowing him at least a couple hours of sleep before facing the day again.

He turned on a lamp and found the game device, firing up the same racing game he had loaded earlier. Even with the noises of crashing cars and racing engines, his own thoughts kept intruding. It was frustrating. Finally he just gave up, tossing the PSP aside to stretch out on the couch.

This was insane. For the life of him, House couldn't figure out why the subpoena affected him so much. It wasn't as if he was incapable of facing Bryan again, and it wasn't as if he would get away with anything in the courtroom. So what the hell was the problem? He finally closed his eyes, his thoughts still racing. There was no point in going back to bed now. He'd only disturb Avery, and she was having her own sleep issues. No sense in adding more to her already heavy load.

# # #

Avery awakened with her alarm the next morning, a little disoriented by her surroundings. It had been so long since she slept in her own bed that she had forgotten what it was like. She definitely noticed that the other side of the bed was empty. At first she briefly thought that House had gone home at some point during the night, then laughed off the thought. It was merely her own paranoid brain at work.

She found him crashed out on the couch, his face scrunched up as if he was deep in thought. Something must have disturbed him during the night to lead him out here. Avery brushed her fingers across his forehead, making him stir slightly, curling himself up a bit tighter. She left him and started a pot of coffee, getting on with her morning routine.

House's eyes popped open when he smelled coffee. He too was a bit disoriented, listening to the sounds that surrounded him. Avery was wandering from room to room, heels clicking on the wood floors as she gathered her belongings for the day, muttering to herself. He chuckled at the sounds and finally rose from the couch, catching her as she entered the living room.

"Hey, what's your hurry?" House grinned sleepily and captured Avery's lips in a quick kiss.

"No hurry. Just trying to make it out the door on time." She responded in kind. "You okay this morning?"

"Fine. Why?"

"Oh, you know…it's just that you normally prefer to sleep in a nice warm _bed_. That's all."

House suddenly turned somber. "It's nothing. I was just having a little trouble sleeping and didn't want to disturb you."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Okay. If that's your story…"

"It is, and I'm sticking to it." House dropped one more kiss on Avery's forehead. "Go on, get out of here. That mountain of paperwork won't do itself, or so I hear."

She finally gathered her things and headed out the door. "Right. I'll see you when you manage to drag yourself in there."

House watched her go, then made his way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and the beginning of his own morning rituals. He pushed aside the thoughts that had kept him up the night before, trying to concentrate on the day ahead. There was PT to contend with today on top of everything else, just one more reminder of what lay ahead for himself and Avery.

Doubts kept crowding House's thoughts. Sure, she had said they were in it together, but there were some matters that had to be dealt with separately. He still wasn't to the point where he could share _everything_ with Avery, and wasn't sure he ever would be. House decided he wouldn't worry Avery with his personal issues right now. She had enough going on without adding that.

# # #

House entered his office, noting the growing stack of mail on his desk. He almost missed the old days of Cameron working through the pile, and he had never been able to convince any of his other fellows to take over the task. Kutner probably would have, but…that was ancient history. The present was stressful enough these days without trying to bring the past into it. He finally picked up the pile, tossing aside anything that didn't catch his interest.

A letter that was personally addressed to House did catch his eye. He thought the handwriting looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. Ever curious, he opened it.

He immediately wished he hadn't.

# # #

Since the team didn't have a case, they spent the majority of the day catching up on clinic duty. House spent most of the day in his office, turning the letter over and over in his hands. Even in jail, Bryan had the power to make things difficult.

He didn't know what he was going to do with this thinly veiled threat. At first, he considered just tossing it aside with the rest of his mail, but somehow that seemed like a bad idea. Ignoring bad things didn't seem to keep them from happening.

House pushed himself out of his office chair and wandered out onto his office balcony. The winter wind whipped around him, and large snowflakes fell thickly around him.

He just wished that he knew what to _do_. If he could do something, he would feel a hell of a lot more useful. This was just one more thing he had no control over, and it made him crazy. House wasn't even sure if he should mention the letter to Avery. If he knew Bryan, she would probably receive something very similar. The man wasn't particularly creative.

Foreman stuck his head out of the balcony door, baffled. "What the hell are you doing out here? It's freezing."

House rolled his eyes. "No shit, Sherlock. What do you want?"

"Just heading out. I was going to lock up the conference room. You need anything out of there?"

"No." It came out sharper than House intended. He dropped his head, shoulders sagging slightly. "It's fine. Lock it up."

Foreman frowned in concern. Normally he wouldn't give House's odd behavior a second thought, but something in House's tone stopped him. "You know, you've barely set foot in there since you've been back. What's going on?"

"Nothing. If we don't have a case, I have no reason to be in there, do I?"

Foreman shrugged. "Never stopped you before."

"So maybe things are different now. Did that ever occur to you?"

"No." Foreman folded his arms over his chest. "I think you're scared. That's why you turned the whiteboard around. It's why you practically freeze every time you open that door." He stepped out onto the balcony. "You think you're the only one who's traumatized? There were three other people in the room that day, you know. One of them already saw this show before."

House turned to Foreman. He _had _forgotten that other people were affected. "Go home. I'll lock it up. Maybe I did leave something in there."

After Foreman left, House shook off the snow and strode through his office to the door that separated it from the conference room. He pushed through the door and turned on the lights, looking around the room. A new determination rose up in House. This was _his _life, _his _world. He would face Bryan, and make damn sure he would never bother he or Avery ever again, threats be damned.

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	25. Standing On The Edge

**This is where I insert the disclaimers. I'm sure you know them by now. House doesn't belong to me, Avery does.**

House shut off the lights and locked up the conference room and his office. As he was leaving, he ran into Wilson, greeting him with a nod.

"Heard you and Foreman out on the balcony. Everything okay?"

"Yeah…he was just kind enough to remind me about some things."

Wilson nodded in understanding. He had overheard Foreman's speech. House certainly wasn't the only one struggling with the aftermath of the shooting. House pulled an envelope out of his jacket and handed it to Wilson.

"Check out the love letter I got from Bryan today."

Wilson looked it over, stunned at the vindictive tone and language. "Damn. Does Matthews know about this?"

"Nope, and she's not going to."

"You're not going to tell her?"

"Why should I? It would only upset her. She's stressed out enough without having to deal with more of my drama."

Wilson rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Uh, how about…because she'll be mad as hell if you _don't_ tell her."

"It's for her own good."

"Why don't you let her figure that out?"

"Figure out what?" Avery walked up and joined the two men at the elevators.

House brushed his hand against hers. "Nothing." He glared at Wilson. "I'll tell you later."

Wilson chuckled. "Have a good night, you two."

He split from the pair, leaving them in the parking lot. They stopped by House's car, parked in its usual spot. Avery leaned against his car, arms crossed across her chest.

"So…what am I supposed to figure out?"

"Damn, woman, you just won't leave it alone, will you?" House growled in mild irritation. He really wasn't planning on saying anything about the letter, but she was about to leave him no choice. "It's not important. Don't worry about it."

Avery laughed. "Now see, that _will_ make me worry. Makes me think you're hiding something important." She reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll see you at your place."

"See you later." He felt a twinge of guilt for keeping secrets from her. She trusted him, and he didn't want to break that trust. This was different, though. She didn't need to know about an overdramatic death threat from a locked-up ex. It would probably come to nothing anyway.

# # #

Something in House's tone raised suspicions in Avery. She was sure he was hiding something, but damned if she could figure it out. Eventually he would come clean, she was confident of that. But in the meantime…his secretive demeanor worried her.

She pulled up in front of House's building, still pondering what she overheard between House and Wilson. What the hell was he trying to protect her from, anyway? Normally she wouldn't pry, but if it was about her, that made a difference, didn't it?

The smell of Thai food hit her nostrils as she entered the apartment. House was opening containers on the coffee table.

"Hey, babe. Pick a container." He passed her a set of chopsticks with a flourish. Avery grabbed the chopsticks and a container of Pad Thai and settled in on the couch next to House. Soon they were relaxed, chatting over their food, stealing the occasional bite from each other, mock fighting with their chopsticks.

Avery laid her head in House's lap while House mindlessly channel surfed, playing with Avery's hair. So far, so good. House was still debating whether to tell Avery about the letter. They were having such a great night that he hated to ruin it. On the other hand, Avery was remarkably astute. She was already suspicious, and it wouldn't take her long to figure out that House was hiding something for her. Better to just get on with it, consequences be damned.

"Found something interesting in my office mail today."

"Really…" Avery's voice had a sleepy edge to it. "Do tell."

House leaned over slightly and reached into his back pocket for the letter. "Sweet little love note from your ex."

Avery immediately sat bolt upright. "I assume it wasn't exactly a friendly note?"

The fearful edge in her voice made House pull back his originally planned flippant response. "He threatened my life if I testified against him."

"Jesus." House could see Avery's breath shorten and her eyes go wide. "What are you going to do?"

"Um, hello, this is me we're talking about. Obviously I'm going to testify. What else am I supposed to do?" He took Avery's hand in his, squeezing firmly. "He's not going to scare me off. I'm done with that."

"If that's what you need to do…"

House nodded firmly. "I do. Somebody's got to put that son of a bitch in his place. Guess you could call it fighting fire with fire."

A slow smile crept onto Avery's face. She was proud of House for taking a stand, even if it made her nervous. "Now _that's _the Greg House I know and love."

House twisted his mouth in that familiar half smile. "It's not that big a deal, you know."

"Yes it is. This whole thing hasn't been easy for you. You think I haven't noticed?"

He rolled his eyes and sat back on the couch, pulling Avery close to him. "Okay, okay. Are we done now?"

"For now." She gestured toward the letter House still held in his hand. "Mind if I read that?"

"Hell yes, I mind. You don't need to see this. He's clearly insane."

"I suppose that's a medical opinion?"

"Totally." House shoved the letter back in his pocket. "Now leave it alone for tonight, okay?"

"Okay." Avery curled up close to House, inhaling his scent. She found it so comforting to be right here, right now, with this man. It made her think back to House's earlier comments about moving in together. She wondered if he might even consider marriage eventually. It wasn't a question she would spring on him right now, but she would keep it in the back of her mind.

# # #

House was feeling more relaxed now that he had just fessed up about the letter. Avery had taken it better than he thought she would, and now he felt a bit foolish for not having more faith in her. Feeling her curled up to him, her scent wafting up to him, ranked right up there with the best things on earth. House felt himself turn a corner, emotionally speaking. He had already expressed the idea of moving in with her. Now he allowed himself to start to think about the next step. The ultimate commitment, no turning back, signing his life away.

It felt like he was standing on the edge of a canyon, and he couldn't see the bottom. House was equally scared and exhilarated at the idea. He had a feeling that he wouldn't have much trouble convincing Avery to come along for the ride. Once they got through the trial, he'd get a better read on what was going through her head. By then her lease would be just about up, and they'd be discussing the whole thing again anyway.

"A lot could happen between now and then."

Avery lifted her head. "Did you say something?"

"What?" House hadn't realized he had spoken out loud. "Must have been thinking out loud. Don't mind me."

"Hardly ever do, baby." House smiled at Avery's sleepy voice. He had to admit, he had been called a lot of names over the years, mostly rude ones. Avery was the first one to call him 'baby'. At first it was awkward, but he kind of liked it now. It threw him when she called him that at Foreteen's. He was pretty sure he would never live it down, but Blonde and Blonder had the good grace to not mention it since.

"Come on, woman. I can't hang out on the couch all night. Let's get you to bed." He nudged Avery off him and popped a couple of his meds. The med ritual was a little harder to keep track of than his old Vicodin thing, but it seemed to be working out for him. He'd had to get together with Rodriguez to make some adjustments since going back to work, but he was noticing a difference. House hadn't realized how much his pain had affected his personality. He'd been concerned about losing his edge, his sharpness, his passion. None of that came to pass. It just…hurt less, that was all.

House finally pushed himself off the couch, limping off to the bedroom, where his woman waited in bed for him. He was still nervous about what was to come, but it was out of his hands. It wasn't easy to for him to accept that, but it was the best thing right now. Right now, all he wanted to do was wrap himself around Avery, comforting himself with what had now become familiar and safe.

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	26. Waiting For You

**Usual disclaimers apply. I don't own the House characters, just the OCs.**

House awakened earlier than usual, and for once it wasn't one of his usually painful body parts that woke him up. He grinned and pressed against Avery, kissing the back of her neck, slipping a hand under her nightshirt.

"Mmm…you're…_up_ early."

"You okay with that?" House snickered and stroked Avery's thigh. A shiver went through her at his touch, always so gentle despite his rough hands.

"Can't you tell?" Avery's voice was soft with desire.

"I'm getting an idea…" House drew his tongue down her neck while his hand slid up her thigh to cup her rear, squeezing lightly. Avery gasped softly and pressed against him. House's hand kept sliding up her back, slipping around to play with a nipple, stroking it to full hardness.

Avery rolled onto her back, raking her fingers through House's wiry chest hair, finding his nipples, rolling them around in her delicate fingers. He growled and gasped with pleasure, leaning down to capture her soft lips in a long, lingering kiss, his tongue dueling with hers. Avery's hands slipped around his ribcage, sliding up and down his back, reaching down under the waistband of his boxers, grabbing his ass, bringing him closer to her.

"_Dammit, _woman. You're killing me." House rasped in her ear, lightly biting her neck, then sucking, working his way down her long, elegant neck. He whipped off her nightshirt, revealing her soft, fleshy breasts and little lace thong. Soon he slipped his fingers under the string of the thong, pulling it aside to find her soft, moist center, running his fingers through the hair. Avery moaned and squirmed underneath his fingers as he stroked her, watching her eyes flutter closed, her chest moving as her breath quickened.

He reached up with his other hand to stroke her hair, pushing his tongue into her mouth as he entered her with two fingers, pumping in steady rhythm. She arched her back beneath him, crying out under his ministrations.

She grabbed him and pulled him on top of her, pushing off his boxers, taking hold of his shaft, stroking in quick, steady rhythm, bringing him close to the edge. House removed his hand and hers, rolling over on his back, taking her with him. Avery straddled him, guiding him inside her, rocking him as his hands roamed all over her lush, curvy body, resting on her round ass.

He exploded inside her, wrapping his strong arms around her to bring her to his chest. She wasn't far behind, gasping as she relaxed against him.

"Mmm…I could stand to wake up like that a little more often." Avery's head rested on House's chest, listening to his heartbeat finally slow to its usual rhythm.

House chuckled, his large hands stroking Avery's smooth back. "Been a while since I've done that. Usually it's my leg waking me up. Not exactly a big turn-on, you know?"

Avery glanced at the alarm. It would be going off anytime, so there was no point in going back to sleep. "Let me up. I might as well start coffee."

"Hmm…well, if you insist." House lightly smacked Avery's rear before he released her. He laid back and watched her move around the room, finding her nightshirt and robe. "Do you really _have _to put that on?"

She let out an amused chuckle. "Well, it _is _January in New Jersey. It's a bit chilly out there."

"Fine." House huffed in mock annoyance. "Have it your way, as usual."

Avery stuck her tongue out at him, tying her robe around her.

"Don't stick that thing out unless you plan on using it!" House bellowed teasingly out to her, only to hear her hearty laugh in response. _God, _he loved that woman. He knew the sex would ease up eventually, but until then, he would gladly take what she gave.

House rolled over on his side, smiling to himself. He was trying to remember a time when things had felt so _good_, so _right_. It had to be pre-infarction. Even his relationship with Stacy during that time was far different from what he had with Avery now. He supposed he took a lot for granted back then. If he'd known then…well, it didn't really matter now, did it? He started to close his eyes when his cell started singing 'Mmm Bop', signaling a call from the team.

"Shit." So much for getting some rest before going into work. He flipped the phone open as he crawled out of bed. "House."

Avery heard House crashing around the bedroom, barking orders to the team, then quickly hanging up. Soon he emerged, barefoot in jeans, buttoning his shirt, foregoing the t-shirt underneath. The shirt flapped open slightly, revealing a bit of middle-aged belly that Avery found especially endearing.

"Gotta run. Patient's crashing." He quickly kissed her cheek, taking the coffee she offered. She filled a travel mug and set it near his backpack so he could grab it on his way out. "I'll see you later."

Avery was surprised by how quickly House got up and around. He was surprisingly fast, given his condition, and now that his pain was under better control and he had started working the leg in PT, he was quickly becoming damn near unstoppable. Before she knew it, Hurricane House had left the building. She glanced at the coffee table, noting the prescription bottles he left behind in his haste to get out the door. Avery picked them up and dropped them in her purse, reminding herself to drop them to him when she went in.

# # #

Avery was busy at her desk when House came barging in. The adrenaline had worn off, and he looked a bit beaten down as he flopped in a chair near her desk.

"Not going so well?"

He shook his head. "Back at square one." House rubbed at his leg with a frown. "I think I forgot my meds this morning."

Avery reached down into her bottom desk drawer, pulling the bottles out of her purse and handing them to him. "I thought that might be the case, so I grabbed them on my way out."

"Babe, you're a lifesaver." He shook one out of each bottle, tossing them back with the remains of his coffee, closing his eyes as he waited for them to kick in. After a few minutes, his eyes popped open and he heaved himself out of his chair. "Okay, back at it. I'll try to check in around lunchtime. See you."

"Bye."

# # #

Avery walked by the conference room to check in before she left for the day. House was scribbling on the whiteboard, and the team and Wilson appeared to be involved in some sort of debate. She tapped on the glass door, and House looked up, waving her in.

"Matthews! We need a tiebreaker." House handed her a copy of the patient's MRI. "Wilson and Taub see a tumor, Foreman and Thirteen see a clot, and I don't see jack."

Avery put on her glasses and lifted the MRI to the light, squinting. "I'm afraid I'm with Foreman and Hadley on this one. Definitely looks like a clot to me."

"Told you she'd see it my way." House stuck his tongue out at Wilson and Taub. The two men merely rolled their eyes in response, Wilson walking out, shooting Avery a small smile. "Go find that clot and get it out of there. We'll see what happens from there." The team rose as one and left the room.

House held out an arm, gesturing for Avery to join him. He wrapped it around her in a quick hug. "Nicely done. You're really wasting your talents in administration, you know."

Avery laughed. "You already knew what was there, though, didn't you?"

"Well, _duh_. I couldn't let _them_ know that, though." He lightly kissed her on the lips.

"So I take it you won't be leaving anytime soon?"

"You're so smart. No wonder I like you." House's shoulders dropped slightly. "No, I might be pulling an all-nighter with this one."

"Okay. Shall I just meet up at your place?"

"Don't know what kind of condition I'll be in, but yeah, I'll see you there." House pulled her in for another kiss, a serious expression on his face. "I love you, you know that?"

Avery smiled warmly, returning the kiss. "I love you, too. See you…whenever."

House watched her walk away, her hips swaying slightly. The view was pretty damn good from where he stood, and he hoped to get this case moving in the right direction so he could get home, the sooner, the better.

# # #

Avery made her way to the elevator, running into Wilson. The two chatted easily as the rode down to the lobby.

"Can I walk you to the parking lot? It seems like a long walk alone."

"It's okay, I'm fine."

"Fine, at least walk with me as far as my car. Humor me." Wilson flashed that winning smile that had won the heart of three wives and countless other women.

Avery chuckled. "Okay, if it will fulfill your hero quota for the day."

Wilson shook his head. "He's definitely rubbing off on you. Good thing you're rubbing off on him, too. I don't think this place could handle two Houses."

They arrived at Wilson's car, and Avery gave his arm a quick pat before starting toward her own vehicle. "Thanks for the escort."

"Hey, anytime. See you in the morning."

Avery walked a few spaces down to her car, hitting the remote to unlock it.

"So, are you working your way through the entire department head directory, or just the ones on your floor?"

Avery froze where she stood. That was a voice she shouldn't have been hearing. It was a voice that should be safely locked away. Finally she worked up the nerve to turn around.

"Bryan? What the hell are you doing here?"

He grinned malevolently. "I finally made bail, baby. Thought I'd come see how you were doing without me. Guess that old cripple wasn't enough for you anymore, huh? I should have known you'd leave him behind." Bryan's expression turned thoughtful. "Unless, of course, you're doing both of them. _That_ would be…interesting."

"Get out of here and leave me alone." Avery hissed. She wasn't going to give Bryan any ideas on either House's or Wilson's whereabouts. "You could go back to jail, you know."

"Oh…I don't think so. See, I learned my lesson when I failed to take out your boy House. I'll make damn sure there are no witnesses this time." He came toward her, pressing her up against her car by her throat and producing a knife.

Avery could feel bile rising in her throat, fear threatening to overtake her. She prayed that Wilson was still somewhere in the parking structure. Bryan pressed the knife to her throat, pricking slightly. She could feel a trickle of blood run down her neck. "One fucking sound, and you're dead, you worthless slut. Don't make me kill you."

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, a white car pulling out of its spot. Taking a chance, she screamed as loud as she could, flailing and struggling, trying to get out where someone could see her.

"God damn it, Avery, I fucking warned you!" Bryan screamed as he lashed out, catching her across the face with the knife. The knife started at her jawline and slashed across her cheek and nose. She started to bolt, but Bryan was too powerful for her. He slammed her up against her car, cracking her head against the doorframe. "I told you, I fucking _told _you to give up that old bastard, but you _just wouldn't listen._" Avery crumpled to the ground, losing consciousness. "Stupid bitch."

Bryan spat in her face, kicking her hard in the stomach before he saw headlights flashing in his direction. He dropped the knife and quickly found cover.

Wilson pulled out of his parking spot, noticing Avery's car was still parked there. He thought he saw movement in that general direction, and some instinct told him to stop the car and check to make sure Avery was okay. If it were House, he would have rolled his eyes and complained about his tendency to overdo the caring thing. Since it was Avery, he would stop. House would kill him if anything happened to her while Wilson was in a position to do something about it.

He stopped his car, shutting it off and killing the headlights. Wilson didn't see anything immediately and would have gone back if his toe hadn't hit something. In the dim lights of the parking structure he could see the glint of a knife blade. Bending down, some liquid soaked the knee of his pants. He pulled out his penlight and clicked it on.

"Oh my God." With shaking hands, he dialed Emergency Services. "This is Doctor James Wilson. I need Emergency Services to the parking structure, third level…African-American female, mid-40s…lacerations to the face and possible head trauma…she's unconscious." He felt her neck for a pulse. It was weak, but steady. "Yes, yes, I've got a pulse, and she's still breathing. Thank you."

Wilson got down on both knees next to Avery, taking her limp hand. "Hang in there. Help's coming."

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	27. And Nothing Else Matters

**My humble apologies if House slips OOC here. Once again, I don't own any of the House characters.**

House was just packing up for the night when his phone started singing 'Dancing Queen'. _Wilson. Great._

He flipped open his phone. "I'd love to hang out with you but…"

"Get down to the ER, _now._" Wilson's voice was tense and shaky.

"Why? What the hell's going on?"

"I'll fill you in when you get here. Just hurry up."

House was baffled by Wilson's behavior. He called Avery, getting her voice mail. "Hey, babe. I'll be a little later than I thought. Wilson just called me down to the ER. Love you." House frowned as he closed his phone. Unlike House, Avery almost always answered her phone. He had left two voice mails tonight, and had gotten no response.

He set that particular mystery aside in favor of the one Wilson was presenting, pondering as he rode the elevator downstairs. Wilson was pacing in the waiting area just outside the ER, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Wilson!" House's bellow made Wilson turn around. "What's going on?"

Wilson didn't know where to start. He had just gotten done giving a statement to the police, and his nerves were thoroughly jangled.

"You'd better sit down."

House scowled, tapping his cane on the floor. "Just tell me already. The anticipation is killing me."

"_Dammit_, House!" Wilson took a deep, shaky breath. "Avery was attacked in the parking garage tonight."

House's eyes narrowed, his breathing quickened, and his knuckles went white where he gripped his cane. Suddenly the cane went flying down the hallway, crashing into a chair and clattering to the floor. He sank into a chair and closed his eyes. Wilson retrieved the cane and sat beside his friend.

"She's got some cuts on her face and neck, and some head trauma, and some bruising on her stomach. They think someone kicked her."

House leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs, hands cradling his forehead. "Where is she now?"

"They're still working on her, sewing up her cuts. She should be getting transferred pretty soon."

House nodded. "I need to call her family. I'll be back."

Wilson watched as House limped down to the end of the hallway to make his calls. He was amazed at the changes that had come over his friend recently. House was definitely stronger than he had been at Christmas time, and the new drug regimen seemed to be working for him. Wilson was grateful that House had finally left the Vicodin behind.

He would often observe House and Matthews together. They had such an easy, natural rapport with each other. Wilson would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't a little jealous, even if he was happy for his normally misanthropic friend. He'd been pleasantly surprised to see him at Foreman's and Hadley's, dancing with Matthews, even publicly showing affection.

House returned from his phone calls, his face stricken, his eyes a little red-rimmed. "Her parents and her brother are checking flights right now. They're supposed to call back when they get more info." He lifted his eyes and looked straight at Wilson. "I might need your help later."

"I'll transport if they need it. You stay here, okay?"

House nodded and slumped in a chair. Inside, he was screaming. His world had been turned upside down, again. He absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder, even though he didn't feel pain there. The pain was in his heart, the pain of failing her yet again. He blinked his eyes, rubbing them slightly. House wasn't quite prepared to fully break down in front of Wilson.

"I need to see her."

"House, you know damn well they won't let you in there." But House was already out of the waiting area and through the swinging double doors before Wilson finished his statement.

# # #

Cameron was working the evening shift when House came charging through the ER. She quickly moved to intercept him.

"House, get out of here."

"Where is she?!" House looked like he would fling Cameron aside if she dared get in his way.

"They're still working on her. Get. Out." She touched his shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

"God damn it, get off me!" He brushed her off and shoved her aside to find Avery. Cameron reached out and grabbed his arm, yanking him back.

"Listen to me." Cameron hissed. "You need to get back out in that waiting room. You're not a doctor tonight. You're _family_." She took a deep breath, calming herself. "I'll personally update you as soon as they get ready to move her. She's not critical. She'll be fine. Now go." Cameron gave House a gentle shove in the direction of the double doors.

House stood like a statue, frozen in his spot. Finally he nodded, leaving the ER. He paused at the double doors.

"I'm sorry, babe." He whispered. "Looks like I failed the hero test again." His heart was heavy as he left the ER, his shoulders hunched. Cameron could have cried for him.

# # #

Avery slowly came to, completely disoriented. Her head throbbed, her face stung, and she felt nauseous. She blinked, trying to focus on her surroundings. A nurse passed over her, adjusting IV lines, and Avery grabbed his arm.

He smiled warmly, touching her hand. "Doctor Matthews!" He waved one of the doctors over. "Let's get you checked out."

Suddenly Cameron was over Avery, flashing a penlight in her eyes. She blinked and scrunched up her face, wincing from pain. "Matthews, do you know where you are?"

Avery nodded. "ER." She looked around. "Last thing I remember…" The last thing she remembered was Bryan's face, twisted in anger as he slashed at her face, throwing her against her car. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands to her face. Cameron gently moved her hands away.

"Careful. You don't want to undo Taub's good work." Cameron squeezed Avery's hand. "We'll move you into a room as soon as we can. A certain someone's been waiting for you."

Avery's eyes widened. "Does House know? I was supposed to meet him at his place…"

Cameron nodded. "Wilson let him know. He's the one who found you."

_Wilson. Of course. I should have let him…no, then he'd be in here, too._ "Let them know…"

"Don't worry. I told House I'd personally keep him updated."

Avery nodded, closing her eyes. Suddenly any energy she had drained from her. All she wanted to do was curl up somewhere and sleep.

# # #

House lifted his head every time the double doors slammed open. Finally, Cameron emerged, making her way to the two men sitting in the waiting area.

"She woke up for a few minutes, so we had a chance to check her over. There doesn't appear to be any serious damage. We should be able to move her to a room before too long."

House merely nodded, staring at the floor and tapping his cane. Cameron touched his shoulder briefly before walking away.

Wilson studied House, pacing slowly in front of him. Finally, House lifted his head to look him in the eye.

"I suppose I should thank you for playing the hero." His words were tinged with bitterness.

Wilson planted his hands on his hips. "Don't be like that, House. You weren't in a position to do anything."

"Big fucking surprise." House dropped his head, and Wilson could see his shoulders shake slightly.

He took a seat beside House, placing an arm around his shoulders. "You're here now. That's what matters."

"Easy for you to say."

"My God, you just don't get it, do you?!" Wilson stood, facing House. "She won't give a damn _who_ brought her in here. The only thing she'll care about is who is there when she wakes up. That _who_ will be _you_. As long as you're there for her, nothing else will matter."

House knew Wilson was right, but the idea that he couldn't seem to keep Avery safe gnawed at him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, turning it over in his hands. Finally he rose.

"I'm going to call her mom. I kind of promised to keep her posted." House started to limp down to the other end of the waiting area, then stopped.

He turned and awkwardly put an arm around Wilson, a lump rising in his throat. "This sucks." House took a shaky breath. "Is this the shit I've put you through all these years?"

Wilson nodded, carefully putting an arm around House in return. This was a moment that might not ever happen again, and he wanted to cherish it. "Pretty similar, yeah."

"No wonder you walked away." House exhaled loudly. "I suck at this friendship stuff."

"I know. It's okay. I'm kind of used to it by now."

House quickly backed away, waving his phone. "Got a couple calls to make. I'll be back."

Wilson watched him limp away awkwardly. To an outside observer, it would have seemed like an odd exchange, but Wilson knew what House was trying to tell him. Their exchange was probably as close to an apology and thanks as he would ever get from House. The physical contact was unusual, though. Wilson supposed it was part of the Matthews Effect. Every time the two of them were together, she was touching him in some manner, whether it was as subtle as a brush of her hand against his, or as bold as the very public lip lock they had demonstrated at the New Year's party.

Cameron emerged from the ER again, and Wilson pointed her down to the end of the waiting area, where House was still on his phone. They exchanged words, and Cameron handed House a piece of paper. He reached out, lightly touching her arm in a gesture of appreciation, nodding as he spoke. When Cameron turned away, a slow smile graced her face.

She winked as she passed by Wilson. "I think House just thanked me."

"You _think_?"

"Actually, his exact words were 'Nice work, Blondie', but I think the idea was the same."

Wilson chuckled. "That's as close to a 'thank you' as you'll get. Cherish it."

"Believe me, I will." Cameron's eyes turned a little shiny as she watched the man at the other end, pacing around, talking on his phone. "She's been so good for him, hasn't she?"

"That she has. Who would have thought?"

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. Law of averages and all that." Cameron patted Wilson's arm. "I've got to go. See you around."

Wilson nodded, watching Cameron go back to the ER, blond ponytail bobbing behind her. She had always been the optimistic one where House was concerned, convinced that somewhere underneath the brusque personality beat a heart of gold. Who knows? Maybe Cameron, the eternal romantic, had House pegged better than any of them had.

# # #

House stood outside Avery's room, backpack slung over his shoulder, steeling himself for what lay beyond. He had never been in this situation. Usually he was the one in the hospital bed, suffering the consequences of some foolish act. If this is what it was like to be on the other side…suffice to say he owed a few people a very big apology. He had sort of tried with Wilson earlier, but open emotional expression was still uncharted territory for House, and he didn't want to screw it up. Wilson seemed to get it though, always able to read House.

He had surprised himself with Cameron, too. She found him as he spoke to Catherine, touching him lightly as she handed him Avery's room information. House had reached out and touched her on the shoulder in appreciation, commenting "Nice work, Blondie". Cameron had taken it in the spirit in which it was intended, as close to a 'thank you' as he could have mustered just then. Once upon a time, he wouldn't have done that, not wanting to encourage her crush on him. Years had passed, though, and since she had happily settled down with Chase, they had found a middle ground.

House finally gathered what little courage he felt he had and opened the door to Avery's room. That lump rose in his throat again when he saw her in that bed, lines and tubes snaking out of her. Her face was slightly swollen and bruised, and a line of fine stitches crossed her beautiful face and neck. He hooked his cane around the leg of a chair and pulled it to her bedside, picking up a hand and holding it to his scruffy cheek.

His heart was breaking. Unfamiliar emotions washed over him, and he pressed her hand to his forehead, feeling the tears build up and spill over. The walls were finally crumbling, and House was powerless to stop them. He wasn't even sure he wanted to, now.

Avery stirred when she heard an unfamiliar sound beside her. She turned and opened her eyes to see House weeping openly, her hand clutched in his. She squeezed the hand that held hers, and House lifted his head, a bit self-conscious about his open display of emotion.

She released his hand and brushed her hand across his cheek. "You're leaking, baby."

House's face shifted, a barely perceptible smile crossing his tired face. "Yeah, well…" For once, he didn't have a good rationalization. "You scared me a little."

"Well, I'm here now. I'll be fine, so they tell me."

"Right." House's face fell slightly. "I hear Wilson came running to the rescue."

Avery nodded. "Good thing, too. No telling how long it would have been otherwise."

House didn't want to think about that possibility. "I'm just…" He took a ragged breath, his emotion threatening to overwhelm him again. "I'm just glad you're okay. Guess it doesn't matter who saved your ass, right?"

"Right." Avery told him firmly. "Don't go getting the idea that you didn't do anything. Waking up and seeing you…that's the best thing." She pulled his hand down to plant a gentle kiss in his rough palm. "It means I'm not alone."

"Damn right you're not. You're stuck with me, babe."

"Wouldn't want it any other way."

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	28. More Than You Think You Are

**Once again, as usual, I don't own the House kids, just that Matthews woman, and a couple other OCs that float through here.**

Avery spent the next several days in the hospital, medical personnel flowing in and out as if her room had a revolving door. It was hardly a restful experience, and she couldn't wait to go home. Her parents had made the trip, and they decided to stay with Avery until she was released to go back to work. Initially she protested, but House pointed out that she shouldn't be alone, and her mother could do a far better job of handling things than he could.

When she got home, she finally got a good look at the damage Bryan had inflicted. One cut started at her jawline and traveled up her cheek and across her nose. There was another shorter mark on the left side of her neck, where Bryan had initially placed the knife. Avery carefully examined each stitch, tiny and precise, laying perfectly flat to minimize scarring. It wasn't as bad as she had feared, but it was still an ugly reminder of what Bryan was capable of.

She had to admit, it was kind of nice having her parents around, even if it wasn't exactly the visit she had in mind. House and her parents got along surprisingly well, and he did more than his fair share of fussing over her, in his own way. Every night found House curled up next to her, an arm wrapped protectively around her, comforting her through the inevitable nightmares.

Avery finally returned to work, and soon fell back into her routine. Bryan's upcoming trial loomed large in her mind, but she was so busy that she managed to put it in on the back burner for the time being. The ringing of her office phone pulled her out of her train of thought.

"Matthews."

"It's Cuddy. Do you have a few minutes? I need to speak to you."

"Sure. What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you could come down to my office."

"Of course. I'll be there in a few."

Avery tapped on Cuddy's office door, and Cuddy waved her in with a small smile. House was seated on the small couch, a serious expression on his face, and another man sat in a chair in front of Cuddy's desk. Avery guessed that he was about 35, and he was somewhat on the short and round side.

"Please, have a seat, Matthews." Cuddy gestured to the other chair in front of her desk. "This is Andrew Clark. He's with the Prosecuting Attorney's office."

"Nice to meet you." Avery extended a hand to Clark.

"Likewise." Clark folded his chubby hands in his lap. "As you know, Doctor Matthews, we are preparing to prosecute Bryan Stone on the original charges in addition to the new assault charges. The two cases, of course, will be prosecuted separately."

Avery nodded, encouraging Clark to continue. "We can arrange for you to present a video statement. You wouldn't have to enter the courtroom or see Mister Stone. We have presented this option to Doctor House as well."

Avery twisted her fingers in her lap, internally weighing her options. If she did a video statement, she wouldn't have to face Bryan. On the other hand, there could be a certain satisfaction in walking into that courtroom, head held high, looking straight into his eyes.

She lifted her head, chin tilted, a slight smile on her face. "Mister Clark, you tell me when to be in that courtroom, and I will be there."

Cuddy's eyes went a bit wide, and she glanced first at Avery, then at House, who was attempting to hide a small smile behind his hand. "Matthews, are you sure about this?"

Avery nodded firmly, in a move that reminded Cuddy of a certain man that was sitting on the couch in her office. "As sure as I've ever been about anything."

"Well." Cuddy shuffled a few papers on her desk. "Then I suppose we're done here. Thank you all for coming in." She rose and showed Clark to her office door.

House pushed himself from the couch and placed his hand on Avery's shoulder. "You're really going to do this."

"I have to." Avery turned her head to face House. "That man has ruled my life for so long. I'm done running from him."

House smiled, bending down to wrap his arms around Avery's shoulders and kissing her on the top of her head. "Good. Now…go on up and grab your coat. We're going for a walk."

"A walk? Baby, it's freezing out."

House rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "I know that. That's why you need your coat. Duh."

# # #

The pair strode across the street to the park, bundled up against the cold despite the bright winter sunshine.

"So, why are we doing this again?" Avery shivered as the wind blew.

House grinned. "Because we need a little getaway. What better way than to…get away? But first, lunch."

They stopped at the Thai take out place, each of them getting a container of Pad Thai and chopsticks. From there they made their way to the park, House using his cane to brush off snow from the top of a picnic table.

"You know, most people like to do picnics in the summer. Nice and warm then." Avery's brown eyes sparkled teasingly.

House scowled and fixed her with a blue-eyed glare. "So I'm a freak. Big deal." He finished his noodles and turned to Avery, one hand stroking the side of her face. She flinched slightly at his touch.

"Please don't." Avery spoke so softly that House almost didn't catch it.

House sighed. His mind searched for the right words, the ones that would comfort her. Taub really had done one hell of a job sewing up Avery. One could hardly tell that anything had happened, and it sure as hell didn't bother House. Between the old gunshot wounds and the leg, he had a scar collection that trumped Avery's. He still wasn't entirely comfortable showing the leg scar to Avery. To him it served as a constant reminder of pain and weakness, a reminder that his life would never be the same.

_Of course._ House couldn't believe he didn't see it before. His scarred leg and her scarred face were one and the same. He took Avery's face in his hands, thumbs lightly stroking her temples, ice blue meeting chocolate brown.

"You're not weak." Avery gave him a questioning look. House had an odd tendency to start speaking in the middle of a thought. He rolled his eyes, then continued. "Okay, he caught you off guard. You weren't expecting him to show up. Nobody was. It doesn't mean you're weak."

He saw the tears starting to form in Avery's eyes. "You're about to give that man the ultimate 'fuck you'. You're going up on that stand, you're going to face him, and you're going to testify against him. In my mind, that makes you one strong, powerful woman. Nothing can ever change that, got it?"

She nodded fiercely, her tears spilling over, running down her cheeks. Avery wrapped her arms around his ribcage, burying her face in House's chest. He just held her close, letting her sob, one hand stroking her hair.

Finally she calmed down, moving away from House, wiping her eyes, laughing a little at the wet patch on House's coat.

"Sorry about your coat."

"Eh, it wasn't my good one anyway." House brushed a stray tear off Avery's cheek. "You going to be okay now?"

"Well, better, anyway."

"Good enough." House dug inside his coat pocket, pulling out a small box. "I got you a little something."

Avery looked puzzled. "Whatever for?"

House looked at her like she was crazy. "Do you ever look at a calendar, woman? It's Valentine's Day, duh."

"I thought you didn't 'do' Valentine's Day. That seems to be the popular consensus."

"Normally, I don't. But this isn't exactly a normal V-Day for me, either." House pressed the box into Avery's hand. "Just open the thing, will you?"

She opened the box, revealing a simple floating heart pendant, accented with three small diamonds. House's heart pounded a little as he watched the expression on her face morph from curiosity to surprise.

"It's beautiful." Avery immediately put it around her neck and patted it.

House smiled slightly. "It looks good on you." He took her hand in his, stroking the leather that covered it. "You want to know why I got it for you?"

"Do tell."

"I guess…you could say I'm giving you my heart. Not that you didn't have it already but…well…you know." He shook his head at his uncharacteristically sentimental behavior. "God, I _suck_ at this."

"The hell you do." Avery grabbed House's face and pulled him to her for a long, lingering kiss. "I love it, and I love you." This wasn't just some meaningless trinket. House had given this, like the ring that graced her right hand, from his heart. It meant the world to Avery.

"Same here."

A Hanson song started from House's coat pocket. In all the excitement over his mini-date with Avery, he had almost forgotten about the patient. He flipped his phone open. "I'll be there in ten. Think you can keep him alive that long? Good."

Avery rose from the picnic table and tossed their lunch containers. "It's time I was getting back anyway. Meet me for dinner?"

"Maybe. We'll see how things go." House took her hand and they walked back to the hospital together. The sight of House holding Matthews' hand as they walked through the lobby would be the talk of the hospital for weeks afterward.

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	29. The Impression That I Get

**As usual, I don't own any of the House characters. **

Avery left the hospital that night, Wilson accompanying her. Ever since the parking garage attack, Wilson had insisted on escorting Avery to her car. Surprisingly, House not only went along with this plan, he fully endorsed it, even when she had argued against it.

They walked and chatted, a friendly rapport between them. Wilson noted the pendant around her neck.

"Hey, you weren't wearing that this morning. Not that I was looking."

Avery chuckled. "House gave it to me over lunch. Lovely, isn't it?"

"Very." Wilson squinted as a thought occurred to him. "That's not a…Valentine's Day gift, is it?"

"Believe it or not, yes."

He raised his eyebrows and blinked in surprise. "Wow. That's…wow."

"I know." Avery lightly smacked Wilson in the arm. "You told me he didn't 'do' Valentine's Day."

"He _doesn't._ Never has in all the time I've known him. Not even with Stacy." Wilson shook his head and rubbed his arm where Avery had smacked him. "What have you done with him?!"

Avery smiled widely. "I didn't do anything. This is all him."

"He's a different man because of you." They separated at Avery's car. "Have a good night."

"Same to you." Avery climbed into her car and contemplated the evening ahead. House's case had gotten complicated, and she hadn't really seen him since returning from lunch. Chances were good she wouldn't see him until much later. She decided to make it a quick meal and headed to her place.

# # #

She didn't know what time it was when she felt the mattress sink next to her. House curled up around her, kissing her neck.

"Mmm…what time is it?"

"You don't want to know." House yawned and tucked in closer behind Avery. "Good news is that the guy's finally stable. Still don't know what's wrong with him."

It was silent, and Avery knew that House wasn't asleep yet. He was shifting, as if he couldn't quite get comfortable.

"Foreman popped the question to Thirteen today."

Avery shifted to face House. "Seriously?"

House chuckled. "Yep, right when I was leaving. I don't think they knew I was there."

"So what did she say?"

"Hmm…she kind of looked stunned, then hugged him and started crying. I think that means 'yes' on her planet."

A wide smile crossed Avery's face. "That's…amazing. Wow."

They were silent for a moment, and House fell deep into thought. He wanted to test the waters without saying too much. House couldn't believe he was thinking what he was thinking. In his fifty-plus years on this planet, he had only briefly considered the idea of marriage, and that had been years ago. Stacy never would have gone for it. When she did show up years later with that _husband_ of hers, it had stung.

Stacy had wanted marriage. She just didn't want it with House.

When House had pushed Stacy out of his life the first time, it had been largely unintentional. His life had changed so drastically, so quickly, that he just couldn't adjust. He didn't know what he needed from Stacy, and if he didn't know, there was no way in hell Stacy could have known. It was just as well they hadn't been married. The marriage wouldn't have survived.

That second time, though…they were so close. Stacy was _that close_ to leaving Mark. It sounded good at the time, and House had been riding high on their reunion. Ultimately, House had to do 'the right thing'. As painful as it was, he had to send her back to Mark. If she were that willing to give up Mark so easily, who's to say she wouldn't have done the same to House?

He huffed softly in frustration, causing Avery to stir slightly next to him.

"Something on your mind, old man?"

_Busted._ "Maybe."

"Care to share with the rest of the class?"

House debated with himself. He would be opening himself for a world of hurt if she wasn't on his wavelength. "Don't know. Foreteen kind of got me thinking."

Avery could guess where this was going, but she wanted to hear it from House. "Thinking about what?"

House shifted, pulling Avery a little closer to him. "You ever think about getting hitched?"

She shrugged. "I suppose. You?"

"You're making this difficult. Knock it off." House kissed Avery on the forehead. "Of course I do. Wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't." He turned over onto his back. "Never mind. Go to sleep. It's late."

Avery sighed. The personal would always be a touchy subject, it seemed. She recognized that House was reaching out, trying to make emotional connections, something he had next to no experience with. He was making it up as he went along.

She turned on her side, laying her head on House's chest, trying to find the words that would draw him out again.

"I never said I didn't want to get married, okay?" Avery placed a hand on his stomach, and he covered her hand with his own. "I guess I just never thought of it as an option for us. You don't exactly seem like the marrying kind."

"Maybe I just never ran across the right one. Ever consider that?" House's tone was still tinged with hurt. "A woman like you should have been married already."

"Hello, you've met me, right? Forty-six and still single. That should have sent up a few red flags."

"Didn't really care. You're one of the few women who could tolerate me for more than five minutes. Don't tell me my reputation didn't precede me." House's arm snaked around Avery's shoulders, pulling her close once again. "Being an over-fifty solo act doesn't exactly land me on anyone's hot list."

"Except mine." Avery stretched up to brush her lips against House's rough cheek. "Look, it doesn't matter to me whether we move in together, get married, or leave things as they are. As long as we don't end, I'm fine, okay?"

"Okay." House's voice seemed far away, as though he was still preoccupied. He wasn't sure what kind of answer he expected, but he didn't expect Avery to be quite so easygoing about things. Eventually he drifted off to sleep, somewhat mollified, the unfamiliar idea of a permanent bond still rattling around in his head.

# # #

Wilson heard House before he came crashing into his office. He was so used to the interruptions that he barely raised an eyebrow anymore. House plopped down on the couch, bouncing his cane between his legs.

"She doesn't care if we never shack up or get hitched. What am I supposed to do with that?"

That did make Wilson arch an eyebrow. "I assume you're talking about Matthews again, right?"

"Yes." House looked exasperated. "So how am I supposed to take that?"

Wilson slowly put things together. "Oh…so you proposed, and she turned you down."

"Don't be an idiot." House snapped. "Why would I do something stupid like that?" He hopped up from the couch and started pacing in front of Wilson's desk.

"I don't know." Wilson shrugged. "You tell me."

"I didn't ask her to marry me…not really." House stopped and puffed out his cheeks. "I told her about Ebony and Ivory, and I was just…curious. Kind of wanted to see what she thought."

"So you…proposed to her about proposing. Interesting."

House glared at Wilson. "And she laid that line on me. What the hell does that _mean_, anyway?!"

"It means…stop obsessing about it and enjoy things as they are. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I guess." House glanced at the floor, tapping his cane, deep in thought. "Guess I'm the idiot for even thinking about wanting more." He turned and left, the office door banging behind him.

Wilson sat back in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. He thought dealing with lonely, miserable House was stressful. He didn't quite know what to do with crazy-in-love House.

# # #

Avery found House on his office balcony that evening, sitting in his chair, puffing on a cigar, a Coke can dangling from his hand. She carefully slid the door open and stepped outside.

"So, what's the story?"

House shook his head. "Another one for the unknown pile."

She slipped up behind him, gently stroking the back of his neck. "Sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, well." House flicked the ash off his cigar, an unreadable expression crossing his face. "What brings you out here?"

"Just checking in before I left. Anything you're in the mood for?"

"Nothing in particular."

Avery rubbed the back of House's shoulders, feeling the tension that was built up there. "Okay…my place or yours?"

"How about ours?" House said quietly.

Avery sighed loudly, moving in front of House to face him. "Why are you so hung up on this? Why now?" She bent down in front of him, placing a hand on his knee. "Have you even thought about why you want this so badly?"

"Not really." House twirled the cigar in his hand, avoiding Avery's gaze.

"Thoughts and feelings don't occur in a vacuum. They come from somewhere."

"Dammit, _I don't know._" House finally met Avery's eyes. "Why does it matter?"

"I don't know."

"Well, that's just great. We seem to be at an impasse." House stubbed out his cigar. "I'm going home. Do what you want."

Avery was baffled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

House shrugged. "Exactly what I said. Show up, or don't." He heaved himself out of the chair and headed into his office, shutting the balcony door behind him.

Avery was stunned. She tried to remember the last time she had seen him like this. It was obvious he was trying to push her away, but she wasn't quite sure why. If he thought he would get rid of her that easily, he had another thing coming.

**This is the part where you read and review. I love feedback. :)**


	30. Just Like Starting Over

**Warning: Heavy SMUT ahead. You are reading a rated M fic, after all. I don't own House or Wilson, just Matthews.**

House wanted to bang his head against the wall. The piano was no comfort to him tonight. If Avery didn't come over tonight after what he said to her, he wouldn't be the least be surprised. Matter of fact, it might just be what he deserved.

All he had wanted was a straight answer. He wanted Avery in his life for keeps, plain and simple. Did the why really matter?

The pounding at his door broke him out of his reverie. Avery would have walked in, so it could have only been one person._ No point putting off the inevitable._

The pounding continued, with House yelling, "Knock it off! Gimpy needs a little more time!" He whipped open the door to reveal a very angry Wilson.

"You're an idiot."

"Thank you. Did you figure that out all by yourself, or did you have help?"

Wilson pushed past House. "Your very pissed off girlfriend was a big help. What the hell are you thinking, House?!"

House shrugged. "She wanted to question my motives, so I gave her an option. Show up here, or don't. It's not rocket science."

"Question your motives?" Wilson was practically spluttering. "This is insane. You're on the verge of throwing away the best damn thing that's happened to you in years, and for what? For what, House?"

House walked away back to his piano, intent on ignoring Wilson. 'Lecturing Wilson' was his least favorite of all the Wilsons. What right did he have to hammer away at House anyway? Not like he was a fine example of how healthy relationships should work.

"Don't ignore me, House." Wilson was just getting warmed up when Avery walked in.

House's heart beat a little quicker when he saw her. Maybe he hadn't screwed this up as badly as he thought.

Avery took off her coat, hung it up, and proceeded to the kitchen, unpacking grocery bags as if nothing had transpired between them.

"Wilson."

"Yes, House?"

"Get out."

Wilson suppressed a small smile as he left. If he was right, House was in for the ass-chewing of his life.

# # #

House started playing while Avery started cooking. If it weren't for the tension he felt, it would seem like a perfectly ordinary night.

It was driving him batshit.

He rose from the piano and limped into the kitchen. Avery was barefooted in her lounge pants and t-shirt, moving around the kitchen like she owned the place. She practically did. Certainly she had used it more in the last six months than he had in the last ten years.

_I can't lose this woman. I won't ever find another one like her._ House felt that now familiar lump rise in his throat as he stepped over to where Avery stood at the counter, chopping vegetables.

Avery jumped when she felt House's strong arms wrap around her chest and waist and his lips on her neck. His breath was ragged and warm against the back of her neck.

"Please don't leave me." The tone was almost pleading. "I'm an asshole, and I know it. Just…don't leave me."

She had heard the words before, but never spoken with such emotion. It had occurred to her to go to House's, pack up her things, and leave him behind. Somehow, though, Avery knew this was a man worth fighting for. She didn't know why, but she just had a feeling.

House's lips moved up her neck to her ear. His breath was warm as she heard him whisper the sweetest words she had ever heard from him.

"I'm sorry."

That was a sentence that had never fallen from Bryan's lips.

"Me too."

House pulled back, confused. "What the hell do you have to be sorry for? I think we've established who's the idiot in this relationship."

Avery turned around and placed her arms around House's neck. "I'm sorry for not believing in you, not trusting your feelings."

House rolled his eyes a little, twisting his mouth in that familiar half-smile. "Yeah, well…I might have pushed you a little hard. It's just that…I've finally got a good thing, and I don't want to lose it. I don't like uncertainty. I thought that maybe…"

"If we moved in together, or got married…it would be a sure way to not lose me."

"Something like that, yeah." House tilted his head. "Damn, that sounds even dumber out loud."

Avery laughed. "It's not dumb. The logic's just a little faulty, that's all."

House leaned in, pressing Avery against the kitchen counter, his lips crashing into hers. With one hand braced against the counter, he slipped the other under her shirt, moving up to caress a soft breast.

She gripped him around the neck while he moved from her mouth to her jaw to her neck, tasting every luscious bit of skin along the way. His hand felt through the silky material of her bra, playing with the nipple underneath, her soft breath gasping in his ear, her desire for him obvious.

"Lift your arms." House roughly whispered to her as she complied, her shirt landing on the floor. Her bra quickly followed, House's hands roughly stroking her nipples, his tongue tracing a trail between her breasts.

House's hands stroked down her ribcage to the waist of her lounge pants, pushing them down to the floor so that she was naked before him.

_God_, she was beautiful. He couldn't believe he almost let this get away. Chocolate brown met denim blue as House's hands roamed all over her body. Avery was almost quivering with desire. She pulled him to her by his shirt and slowly began to unbutton it, leaving a kiss in each spot that she uncovered. Soon she was able to slip the shirt off his shoulders, joining the rest of her clothes on the floor. Her hands smoothed over his chest, stroking him all over, brushing his nipples with her thumbs. He gasped in surprise, then growled in pleasure, moving in to suck on her neck.

"Mmm…do we continue this here?"

House snickered. "You got a reason not to?"

"None at all, baby."

House eased Avery down to the kitchen floor, stroking her thighs, brushing through the hair between, finding her sweet spot. He lightly brushed her with his fingers, making her gasp and spread her legs further, seeking more of what he was giving.

His lips started in the inside of her knee, working his way up her inner thigh, continuing to stroke her core, soon replacing the fingers with his tongue, slipping his fingers inside her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she grabbed at his hair, further encouraging him.

Avery raised her hips as House quickened his mouth and hands, sending her over the edge in spectacular fashion, leaving her shaking. She pulled him up so he lay on top of her, her hands fumbling with his belt buckle.

They rolled over so that House was on his back, Avery straddling him, furiously working his jeans and wrangling them off him. She slowly took him into her mouth, just the head at first, rolling her tongue around it, watching his reaction. His breath quickened, and his hand stroked her hair as she dipped down, taking all of him in, her mouth sliding over his shaft.

House arched his back, his breath coming in quick pants, growling, roughly grabbing Avery's head as he finished, finally relaxing his grip on her.

"C'mere." Avery pulled herself up so that she lay on top of House. He put his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

"Goddammit, woman. I can't believe I almost threw _that_ away."

"I can't believe it either. Someone would have to be pretty idiotic to do that."

House chuckled, rubbing Avery's back. "Well, now that we've reestablished my idiot status…let me off this floor. I'm too old to sleep on the floor."

"Fine, if you insist." Avery rose, offering assistance to House. For once, House gratefully accepted.

House pulled Avery close to him, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For…everything. For not knocking me on my ass when you had the chance."

Avery turned serious. "I would never do that to you. You're too important to me."

House nodded. "I don't always do the best job of showing it, but…you're important to me, too." He brushed his lips against her ear. "I love you."

Avery felt a lump rising in her throat. "Love you too, baby." She stepped back from House. "Now…let's get this mess cleaned up so I can start dinner again."

"Fine by me, but…" House grinned teasingly at Avery. "I need a shower. How about you?"

Avery considered this. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. Dinner can wait."

# # #

House relaxed on the couch while Avery finished cooking dinner. It was later than usual, but the distractions were more than worth it. He was really getting to enjoy their post-coital showers, which more often than not turned into opportunities for much more fun.

He listened to Avery moving around the kitchen, smiling as he heard her singing as she cooked. It was a sweet sound, one that he wasn't sure he'd hear again after tonight.

The knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts. House pushed himself from the couch and answered the door to find Wilson there.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Wilson shrugged. "Just figured I'd check in…see how things were going…is that singing?"

"Yes. Avery does that sometimes _when she's happy_. Now get out."

"Wilson! Won't you come in?" Avery emerged from the kitchen with a warm smile. "Dinner's almost ready if you'd like some."

"Dinner? Kind of late for that, don't you…oh." A slow smile spread across Wilson's face.

"Yes, Wilson. We made up. And I've got more…making up planned for later."

Wilson put up his hands in surrender. "I'm gone. Enjoy your night."

"I plan on it." House flashed a wicked grin at Wilson. "Good. Night."

Wilson grinned as he left House's place. If this is how Matthews brought the hurt…House had gotten damned lucky. Wilson hoped that House appreciated the fact.

**You know what happens next. Read and review. :)**


	31. Roll Away The Stone

**Finally made it back to update. Sorry for the delay. Once again,none of the House characters are mine, just all the O/Cs that are running rampant through here.**

"Red or blue?"

"What?"

House emerged, limping slightly and holding a tie in each hand. "Red or blue? Simple question, simple answer."

Avery wrinkled her nose slightly. "Neither. Where's that one Wilson gave you for Christmas?"

"Ew..." House made a face. "I'm _not_ wearing that monstrosity. Don't want people mistaking me for some pretty boy oncologist."

"Yes, the cranky old fart look suits you much better." Avery rolled her eyes. "Fine. Blue. If nothing else, it brings out your eyes."

House stalked back into the bedroom, and Avery thought she heard the sound of an electric razor. Soon he reemerged, dressed in a navy blue sport coat, light blue shirt, gray dress slacks, and a blue and gray tie around his neck, still untied.

Avery was impressed, to say the least. She did a double take when she saw his face.

"Did you…shave?!"

House rubbed his smooth cheek. "Yeah. Figured I'd clean up a little. You like?"

"Hmm…not sure yet." She stepped toward him and started to knot his tie. Damn, he cleaned up good. He looked as good dressed up as he did in his jeans and t-shirts. "There. All set."

"Thanks, _Mom_." House stuck his tongue out at Avery.

"Ah, ah, ah…Don't stick that thing out unless you're prepared to use it…"

"Oh, believe me, babe, I _am_." He gave her a wicked grin, drawing her close for a quick kiss. "Guess we'd better get going. Wouldn't do to be held in contempt."

"Right." Avery gathered her things. "Let's get this over with."

# # #

The two rode the elevator together at the courthouse in silence. Avery looked dead ahead, hands folded in front of her. House stood next to her, bouncing his cane on the floor, drawing annoyed looks from other passengers. One turned around, as if to say something, but immediately stopped when House fixed him with a deadly glare.

Finally House glanced over to Avery, reaching out to touch her folded hands. "You going to be okay?"

"Eventually." She unfolded and took the hand that House offered. "Right now…not so much."

"Scared?" Avery nodded slightly. "Yeah, me too." He lightly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

She drew in a ragged breath, drawing House's attention as he turned his eyes sharply to her. He could feel her hand shaking slightly in his. He squeezed it, leaning over to whisper, "I've got you."

Avery smiled, just barely. With just a few simple words and a couple of small gestures, he calmed her in a way she never knew was possible.

She squeezed his hand back. "I've got you, too."

They stepped out of the elevator and made their way to the courtroom, House guiding Avery with a gentle touch to her back. Foreman, Taub, and Thirteen were already seated in the gallery, having been called in as witnesses.

"All rise." The bailiff announced the judge's arrival, and the proceedings began. House barely listened to opening arguments, only tuning in when members of his team took the stand. Foreman's voice was shaky, but strong as he recalled the events, Thirteen was calm and reserved, almost unemotional, and Taub was remarkably strong and solid on the stand.

Through it all, Avery remained still and stoic. Her firm grip on House's hand was the only indication that she was emotionally affected by his team's testimony.

Soon the court broke for recess, and the two of them wandered down to a small park close to the courthouse, stopping at a hot dog cart first. They found an empty bench and sat down, an unseasonably warm spring breeze blowing around them.

"How are you holding up?"

"So far so good. You?"

House nodded. "I've been mostly tuning it out, to be honest. Guess I'd really rather not know the whole story."

"Same here." Avery spoke quietly, with a barely noticeable break in her voice. "It is kind of like reliving it, isn't it?"

House's shoulders sagged a bit. Avery hadn't been there, by all accounts. She was only now getting all the details. Apparently she didn't have the same ability to tune out that he did. He put an arm around her, drawing her close while she lay her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know what to say." House murmured.

"You don't have to say anything. It is what it is."

"I hate that phrase."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the world pass them by. Avery finally spoke up again.

"I talked to the apartment management yesterday."

"Yeah?"

"I'm only signing a six-month lease this time. It would give us some time to check out…other options, if you're still interested."

House grinned and chuckled. "Way to beat around the bush, woman." He planted a kiss on her temple. "Yes, I'm most definitely still interested. I'm thinking an actual house this time."

"Whoa there, big guy. A _house_? With a mortgage and everything? You must plan on sticking around a while."

"Yep. Besides, apartment living has kind of lost its charm."

"Amen to that."

The pair rose and headed back to the courthouse, hand in hand, House grinning like an idiot despite the gravity of the day's events. He couldn't believe this was happening, that he even wanted this to happen. Things were starting to turn around for him in a big way.

# # #

The bailiff called court back into session, and the proceedings were once again under way. House was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he almost missed his name being called. Avery briefly squeezed his hand as he made his way to the stand.

A quick glance at the defense table revealed nothing. Bryan wore a neutral expression, betraying no emotion. House took the oath and was seated.

The prosecuting attorney started first, asking basic questions about the events in question. As the line of questioning continued, Avery noticed a tremor in House's hand.

Foreman noticed the change in House's demeanor as well. "Is he going to make it up there?"

Avery nodded firmly. "He'll be fine."

"What happened after Mister Stone walked into your conference room?" The attorney was wrapping up.

House shrugged, trying to steady his nerves. "We exchanged words, then he shot me. Twice. After that…" He shook his head. "I was out. Next thing I know I was under some hot blonde in the ER." The gallery tittered.

Clark shook his head. "No more questions."

The defense attorney rose and strode toward House.

"You and Mister Stone met prior to your confrontation, correct?"

House nodded.

"Would you mind telling the court about that?"

It was going almost as the prosecuting attorney told him it would. _They'll ask you about Chicago. Not really 'relevant', per se, but it's a way to try to make you look bad._ "We met in Chicago. He was there to see Doctor Matthews after her dad was admitted."

"What happened during that meeting?"

House recalled the entire confrontation, almost word for word.

"Doctor House." The defense attorney paused. "If he was there to see Doctor Matthews, how is it you got involved?"

House's eyes narrowed. "He was threatening her. I wasn't going to just stand by and let that happen."

"You said you happened to walk up on them. Did you actually hear any of their conversation?"

_Jesus. What the hell does this have to do with anything?!_ "No, I didn't. But it was obvious from the look on her face. She was scared of him."

"So that justified assault?"

_Shit. YES, of course it does. What the fuck do you think? _"No, of course not."

The judge glared at the attorney. "If you've got a point, make it quick."

The attorney backed off a bit, changing his tactics. "Doctor House, you're known as a bit of a…loose cannon, shall we say. Is that correct?"

He could hear Foreman snort from the gallery. Avery glared at him and smacked him on the arm. House chuckled slightly. "That's one way to put it, I suppose."

"Is it possible, in the slightest…" The attorney paused again. "…that perhaps you might have brought just a bit of this on yourself, just by the force of your…personality?"

_Un-fucking-believable._ House glared at the attorney. "Of course. I shoot off my mouth, so completely unhinged individuals come shoot me. Happens all the damn time."

The judge intervened. "Strike Doctor House's statement from the record." She gave the defense attorney a pointed look. "Unless you've got anything else…"

"No more questions, Your Honor." The defense attorney quickly replied.

The judge nodded to House. "You may step down."

_About time._ House nodded and returned to the gallery, plopping down next to Avery. It was only then he noticed his shaking hands.

# # #

After court recessed for the day, Avery and House drove back to House's. It had seemed like a ridiculously long day for both of them. Avery immediately started crashing around in the kitchen, grumbling angrily to herself as she cooked.

House wasn't sure if he should go in there. It sounded downright dangerous right now. Finally he felt brave enough to go after a Coke in the refrigerator. He found Avery with one hand pressed against the other, leaning against the sink, a thunderous expression on her face.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing." Avery scowled as she held her hand. "Knife slipped, that's all."

House limped over, setting down his Coke and holding out his hand. "Let me see."

"It's fine. Quit worrying."

"I'm not worrying. I never _worry_. Just let me look at the damn thing."

Finally Avery held out her hand to him. She had a tidy slice in her left index finger, starting at the first joint, curving over the second into the crook of the finger. It still bled despite the pressure she kept on it. House examined it, nodding firmly.

"I'll be right back."

He stepped away, returning shortly with a pair of butterfly closures and antibiotic ointment. His hands were gentle as he tended to her minor wound.

"There, all better." House reached up to stroke her cheek.

"Thanks." Avery murmured and turned back to the cutting board, picking up the knife once more.

"Oh, I don't think so. Pretty sure you shouldn't have a knife in your hand right now." House was right behind her, his hand over hers, easing the chef's knife to the counter. He pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, rubbing her shoulder with the other hand.

"I'm fine."

"You keep saying that. Oddly enough, I keep not believing you."

"Greg…Just leave me alone right now, okay?" Avery blinked furiously to keep tears from falling.

House scowled, but released his grip on her. "Fine." He turned and left the kitchen, his familiar step-thump echoing in the next room.

"_Dammit._" Avery leaned against the counter, finally letting the tears fall. She hadn't wanted to fall apart in front of House. The day had taken its toll on him, too.

Listening to the testimony given by House's team had been…difficult. It brought back images of walking by that conference room afterwards, seeing the pool of blood, the chaos that was left behind. She snuck the occasional glance at Bryan throughout the day, seeing just a glimmer of satisfaction in his face when he heard his actions recalled.

Avery wanted to slap that smug look off his face.

His expression had changed when House took the stand. House gave off an air of confidence she knew he didn't feel, looking stronger and tougher than he had months before. Bryan looked…surprised, as if he somehow thought House would be shattered, broken somehow.

It didn't make sitting through House's testimony any easier. When he returned to the gallery, he was visibly shaken. Avery wanted to take House into her arms, soothe him, calm him. The best she could do just then was quickly place her hand over his, lightly stroking it until it stopped shaking.

She was infuriated. Furious that this still wasn't over, and might never really be. It was hard to let the past die when it just kept coming back to haunt them.

Finally she sighed. This anger and frustration wasn't doing either of them any good. Avery could hear House at his piano, playing a soft classical piece. She set down the knife and went to him, sliding onto the piano bench. His face was set in concentration as he played, as if he didn't realize she was there.

But of course, nothing escaped his notice. House glanced at her with a slight smile.

"Feeling better?"

Avery nodded. "Sure." She laid her head on his shoulder. "I just hated seeing you up there today."

"Had to be done, babe." He kissed her on the top of her head. "Sucks, but…"

"I know." She rose from the bench, stepping behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders and chest. "I'm proud of you, baby."

House closed his eyes, his throat closing up at her words. He couldn't remember the last time anyone told him that. It made him feel stronger, somehow, like maybe he was just a little bit worthy of this woman's love after all.

**You know what happens next. Read and review, give me that feedback I crave. :)**


	32. Stand Up And Be Strong

**Back at it, with another smut alert. Not your thing, don't read. :) I still don't own the majority of it, specifically House.**

Avery curled up against House's warm body that night, but found little comfort there. Her mind kept running over the day's events, along with what was to come. Not only was she testifying for House's case, but the hearing for her own case was coming soon. It filled her with dread.

Annoyed with herself, she flopped over onto her left side. House almost instinctively followed, wrapping a long arm around her, pulling her close, lightly kissing the back of her neck.

"Go to sleep, babe." He mumbled.

"Trying." She growled.

House sighed. He hated to see Avery so stressed out. Her behavior under stress often mirrored his own, and it was hard for him to be on the other side. He once again struggled to find any words that might comfort her. Suddenly he heard a choked sob.

"I just want this to be _over_."

House hugged her to him tighter, if that were possible. "Soon, babe. It'll all be over soon, that bastard will be behind bars, and he won't bother us again."

"Right. They have to release him eventually, you know."

"Not for a good long time." House nuzzled Avery's neck. "Now go to sleep. Hard to look like the badass that you are on no sleep."

Avery had to laugh. House's statement was comforting, in its own way. She finally fell asleep, the gentle rhythm of her breathing lulling House into his own slumber.

All too soon the alarm clock was buzzing Avery awake, her eyes scratchy from the short night. She extricated herself from House's strong grip and stumbled into the kitchen to start coffee before hitting the shower.

She stared at herself in the mirror afterward, carefully applying makeup to make herself look a little less pathetic than she felt. House soon slipped in behind her, a hand on her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. Avery gave him a quick, tight smile.

"You can do this."

"I know. I will. It'll be fine. Over before I know it."

"Never said it would be fine." House kissed her on the cheek. "I just said you can do it."

Avery chuckled slightly. Comforting platitudes weren't House's style. Somehow the cold dose of reality was just what she needed. Oddly enough, she _did_ feel a little stronger, a little more confident. She straightened herself up, ready to face whatever was thrown at her that day.

# # #

Avery was on pins and needles as she sat next to House in the gallery, awaiting her turn on the stand. She nearly jumped when her name was called, and House gave her hand a quick squeeze before she rose and took the stand.

After taking the oath, she briefly glanced over at the defense table, where Bryan sat, barely any expression on his face. It was hard to believe this was the man she thought she loved all those years ago.

The prosecuting attorney quickly proceeded with his line of questioning. House watched from the gallery, studying Avery's unreadable expression. The defense attorney rose from his side of the courtroom and paced in front of the stand.

"Doctor Matthews." He paused for effect. "What is your relationship with Bryan Stone?"

"He was my fiancé."

"Was?"

Avery took a deep breath. "We broke it off about two and a half years ago."

"I see." The attorney paused. "And your relationship with Doctor House?"

"We've been …" _How do I define our relationship?_ "…seeing each other for close to a year."

"So the relationships never…overlapped?"

_Oh my God. What does this have to do with anything?_ "No, of course not."

"Make your point, and quick." The judge fixed the attorney with a sharp look.

The attorney quickly changed tactics. "You didn't actually _witness_ the events in question, did you?"

Avery's face fell a little. "No, no I didn't."

"And yet…you claimed to have seen the suspect flee the scene."

_That's not quite what I said, you ass._ "No…I overheard descriptions later. That's how I knew it was Bryan."

"Mm-hm. No further questions."

Avery stepped down, glancing at Bryan on her way through. He gave her just the faintest glimmer of a triumphant smile. _Arrogant son of a bitch. You won't win, you know._ She returned to the gallery, sitting tall next to House, a determined look on her face.

House glanced over as she sat down. She had been the picture of grace under pressure up there, and he had never been so proud of anyone as he was of Avery just then. He covered her folded hands with one of his own, giving her a small wink when she looked his way.

The judge banged her gavel. "This court is in recess while the jury deliberates. We will reconvene as soon as they have a verdict."

House and Avery walked across the street to the small park, again finding an empty park bench. It was cooler today, breezy and distinctly less spring-like, and Avery huddled up next to House.

He put an arm around her, pulling her in for a quick kiss. "You did good up there today."

Avery shrugged. "It's not like I had a lot to add. I didn't really see anything."

"Glad you didn't." He closed his eyes and nuzzled her temple, inhaling her scent, that citrus scent he loved so much.

She turned to House, stroking his day-old stubbled cheek, taking him in for a long, lingering kiss. "I'm glad you're here today."

"It was either this or clinic duty." House smiled teasingly. "And we know how much I love clinic duty. You should be honored."

Avery snorted. "Thank you for your supreme sacrifice." Her phone chimed with an incoming text message. "Jury's back. Time for us to fly."

# # #

Avery was on edge as the jury filed in and took their seats. House was as well, as evidenced by the way he kept bouncing that damn cane on the floor. When she could take no more, she placed a hand over his, giving him a hard look. He huffed in annoyance, leaning back in his seat and taking Avery's hand in his.

The jury foreman handed a piece of paper to the bailiff, who in turn handed it to the judge. She gestured to the defense table. Bryan and his attorney rose to hear his fate.

"In the matter of The State of New Jersey versus Bryan Stone, the jury finds the defendant…guilty of all charges. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. This court is adjourned." The judge banged her gavel, and the courtroom became a hot bed of activity as everyone started to file out.

House let out the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. He felt Avery's hand wrap around his, her lips on his cheek. It finally occurred to him that his part in this was finally over. Avery's was still to come, but they would deal with that when the time came. He only hoped the court wouldn't bother to ask him for any sentencing recommendations.

"Are you okay, baby?" Avery's soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Fine, now." House wrapped an arm around her, kissing her full on the lips. "Let's get the hell out of here."

# # #

They found themselves in a small bar and grill, similar to the one they would hang out in back when they first met. It only seemed like yesterday when Avery had stopped by House's office to offer him a ride home at Wilson's request. Avery sipped at a glass of Cabernet while House worked his way through a Coke. She studied his face from across the table. His relatively clean shaven face did take a few years off his face, making him look almost boyish.

House looked at her, amused. "Something on my face?"

Avery laughed. "No, there isn't. I'm not sure if that's a problem or not."

He rubbed his cheek, screwing up his face. "I can't remember the last time I completely shaved." His face fell a little as he indeed did remember. He was still with Stacy, just before the infarction. Afterwards, he just didn't bother, and when he did return to the land of the living, he kept the bit of scruff as part of his rebel persona. House wondered if it were really necessary anymore.

Avery reached out and touched the hand on his face, seeing the dark expression cross his weathered face. "If it makes you feel any better…you _do_ look a bit younger without the beard."

A smile slowly spread over his face, chasing the darkness away. "Well, there's some incentive. Maybe I can make everyone think I'm hanging with some hot older woman."

"You are, aren't you?"

House chuckled. Damn, this woman of his was full of surprises. He took the hand from his cheek, placing a kiss in her palm. "That goes without saying…Ooh, food's here."

He released her hand as the waiter set their dinners in front of them. Soon they were relaxed, laughing and chatting, just like any ordinary couple on any ordinary night. They stole food from each other's plates, teasing each other, their affection for each other evident. House reached across the table, playing with the ring on Avery's right hand. He briefly thought how lovely one on her other hand would look, then shook his head at his own silliness. Never in a million years did he think a simple ride home would lead him here, with this woman.

Finally they finished their dinner and left, stepping outside into the early spring chill. A light rain began to fall, drawing a giggle from Avery.

"This feels a bit familiar, doesn't it?"

"Sure does." House pulled her in, wrapping himself around her, dropping in for a long, passionate kiss. It was wet and cold, but neither of them cared. They were lost in each other, grateful for whatever forces that had brought them together and kept them together.

"Love you." He softly whispered.

"Love _you._" She whispered back. "Let's get out of here."

Another slow smile graced his face. "Ready when you are, babe."

# # #

The pair entered Avery's apartment, shedding coats and shoes, and Avery wandered off to change while House rooted around for the lounge pants and t-shirt he knew were here. Somehow nearly half his wardrobe had migrated here. It was just a matter of finding them.

Soon he found what he was looking for and started shedding the dress clothes, profoundly grateful that he didn't have to wear them every day. He didn't get how Wilson managed the shirt and tie look every day. House always felt like he was in a noose whenever he had to wear one, although the appreciative look from Avery told him how much she liked it on him.

He had no sooner gotten the lounge pants on when Avery emerged from the bathroom, dressed in one of his t shirts and a loose pair of flannel plaid pants, her hair pinned up, her face freshly scrubbed.

To him, she had never looked more beautiful.

House caught her just as she passed by on her way out of the bedroom, pulling her to him, lightly nipping at her long, graceful neck.

"Going somewhere?" His voice was husky, seductive and undeniably sexy. It made Avery a little weak.

"Mmm…I _was_." She tilted her chin up, allowing him greater access while she wrapped her arms around his waist, sliding her hands up to spread along House's lower back. He jumped at the sensation, then growled in pleasure.

He captured her lips in a slow, seductive kiss, moving his hands under her shirt. "Don't know why you even bothered to put this on."

Avery chuckled, a low throaty sound that spurred House on to further explore her body. She could feel him harden as he pressed closer, his hands moving up her back and around to find the impossibly soft flesh of her full breasts.

A sharp gasp escaped her as his fingers found her nipples, pinching lightly. His lips left her mouth, moving down her neck, leaving a trail with his tongue down to her collarbone, finding the space between the bones, leaving his mark just above.

She moved forward until the back of House's knees hit the bed, both of them falling. He pulled the t shirt over her head, flinging it aside. She spread her fingers out over his chest, brushing over his nipples, trailing down his stomach, following her hands with her mouth. The PT had definitely paid off, and Avery could feel the beginnings of a six pack under her hands as House squirmed under her touch, his breath quickening when she began to play with the waistband of his pants.

He moaned softly, reaching down to undo Avery's hair while she teased him with her tongue, stroking him from one side of his waist to the other. She was killing him, and he was enjoying every minute of it. His fingers finally found the pins that kept her hair in place, sending them flying, and he ran his fingers through that unbelievably soft hair.

Avery finally untied his pants, pulling them so they fell around his ankles. She dropped to her knees between his legs, stroking his inner thighs, feeling him tense slightly when she found the edge of his scar.

"Careful, babe." His voice was ragged as he guided her hand away from the roughness on his left leg.

She started to kiss inside his left thigh, starting at his knee, working her way up. Her hand once again found the edges of the scar, drawing a frustrated growl from House.

"Dammit, woman…Leave it alone."

Avery drew herself up so she straddled House, leaning in for a kiss. "Why? What's the worst that could happen?"

"I…I don't know." He ran his hands through her hair, feeling the ends tickle his shoulders and face. "It's not exactly my…best feature."

"So what? It's just another part of you. Doesn't mean anything."

"You don't understand…" His mind drifted away as Avery reached behind her, stroking him between his legs. He groaned, reaching to untie her pants, slipping his hands underneath to feel her soft skin and softer curves.

She lifted herself just enough to allow him to slip off the pants, leaving her naked on top of him. His hands moved everywhere, feeling the silky skin of her legs and the strength that lay just underneath. He brought her down so she lay on his chest, skin to skin, and managed to roll her over onto her back.

They arranged themselves so that they both lay fully on the bed, Avery completely sprawled out beneath him. He grinned slightly, the thrill of getting the upper hand coursing through him, an idea coming to him.

"Don't move." He kissed her chest and rose, soon returning with the tie he had worn earlier. He guided her hands over her head, gently tying it around her slender wrists and wrapping the remaining material around a slat in her headboard. Her eyes grew wide, and her breathing quickened at the sudden turn of events.

"Are you alright?" His voice sounded rough, and she nodded mutely, her eyes following him, lips slightly parted. He kissed her jaw, whispering in her ear. "If you want out, just say so."

She moaned. "Keep going."

His hands stroked her breasts, playing with the nipples, twisting them slightly, resulting in a small squeak from Avery. Encouraged, he moved downward, kissing down the center of her stomach while his hands drifted down the sides. She squirmed, struggling slightly against the restraint under his touch.

House lay down next to her, stroking her hair with one hand while the other found the softness between her legs, exploring with his fingers, drawing a long, soft moan of pleasure from Avery.

"You like that, don't you?" She nodded furiously. "You want more?"

"Always." Her voice came out rough, an unexpected sound and an unbelievable turn-on. He grinned, alternating between light strokes and firm pressure, the pleasure and torture on her face obvious. She arched her back, raising her hips to meet his fingers, practically begging for more.

Suddenly he removed his fingers, leaving her panting and moaning, maneuvering himself between her legs. She threw one leg over his shoulder, allowing him full access as he slowly entered her, teasing her at first before plunging into her, pumping in steady rhythm until he felt her tighten around him, gasping as she relaxed under him. House followed soon after, collapsing on top of her, reaching up to untie her.

Avery quickly wrapped her arms around House, kissing him with a fervor he hadn't seen from her before.

He chuckled when she finally broke the kiss. "So…that was okay for you?"

She howled with laughter. "Un-fucking real, baby."

"Such language. And here I thought you were a lady."

"I am. You trying to say a lady can't have a wild side?"

"Not at all. Obviously it's no problem for me." House left a lingering kiss on her neck. "Matter of fact, I love it."

Avery grinned, a slightly evil look on her face. "Trust me, there's more where that came from. A whole lot more."

House was having a little trouble imagining what that could possibly be, but he definitely had no trouble with trying to find out.

**So...push the button, give me some feedback. Reviews make me happy. :)**


	33. I'll Stand By You

**You know the drill. I don't own the House kids, never have, never will. Just having some fun, and throwing in the occasional O/C.**

When House came crashing into Cuddy's office, she barely batted an eyelash. She had gotten so used to his ridiculous demands over the years that she was reasonably sure nothing more could surprise her.

"I need the next couple of days off."

Cuddy arched an eyebrow at House. "Really. So your patient's just going to cure herself?"

House waved a hand around as if his patient's condition were irrelevant. "That's why you insisted I put a team together, right? I don't need to babysit them. Foreman can handle that."

"Okay." Cuddy took a deep breath before pushing on. "Why, dare I ask, do you need the time off this time?"

House looked around the office, avoiding Cuddy's steely gaze, tapping his cane on the floor. He puffed out his cheeks, finally meeting her eyes.

"Avery's…Matthews' case is going to trial. She's got to testify. I need to be there."

Cuddy softened at House's words. First the Chicago trip, now this. She knew that House was fiercely loyal to those few people he let inside his world, and Matthews definitely qualified. House looked at Cuddy, nearly pleading with those big blue eyes.

"Of course. I'll make the necessary arrangements. Give Matthews my best."

"Will do. Thanks. Oh, and Cuddy?"

"Yes?"

"I need to give my patient full body irradiation. It's the only solution, really."

Cuddy glared at him. "You're welcome, and NO. Get out of my office."

House suppressed a small grin as he left Cuddy's office. He had to keep her on her toes, after all. Couldn't let her think he was getting _too_ soft.

# # #

Avery finished her work for the day, having made arrangements for the next couple of days. Bryan was once again going on trial, this time for his assault charges. He had already been sentenced to ten years in House's shooting, and Avery was nervous about what would come out of this set of charges. She locked up her office and strode down the hallway to the elevators, scanning out her badge on the way. House and Wilson were already there, talking quietly amongst themselves.

She brushed against House's hand as she walked up, and he placed his hand on the small of her back, much to Wilson's amusement. House didn't go for public displays of affection, as a general rule. Matthews seemed to be the exception to that rule. Wilson couldn't even remember House behaving that way with Stacy…or any other woman, for that matter.

House turned away from whatever he and Wilson were talking about and turned to Avery.

"I talked to Cuddy. I'm off for the next couple of days, so I figured I'd hang out in the courtroom…if that's okay."

"What about your patient?"

House waved the idea away much like he had with Cuddy earlier. "She's doing better, and if anything comes up, Foreman can direct traffic. He's not a total idiot."

"Well, in that case…I suppose you can hang out." Avery was grateful for House's planned presence. It would make the next couple of days much easier. Wilson would be there, too, but it wouldn't be the same without House.

The three of them rode the elevator down to the lobby and out to the parking garage, leaving Wilson at his own car. House escorted Avery to hers three spaces over, taking her in his arms, his cobalt blues meeting her coffee browns.

"You know, no matter what happens, I've still got you."

Avery nodded, tilting her head in response. "I know that. I'm not worried."

"Good." House bent down to kiss her softly. "I'll see you soon."

He watched her back out of her space, waving to him as she left. Avery seemed strong and confident now, but House knew that could all change in a heartbeat. He was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't even hear Wilson come up behind him.

"You're doing the right thing. Again."

House chuckled at the sound of Wilson's voice. "It's becoming another bad habit." He exhaled loudly, leaning heavily on his cane. "_Dammit._"

Wilson sighed. Something more was going on with his friend, but he couldn't tell what. "House?"

House lifted his head, but didn't look at Wilson. "I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"I can't…" House shook his head. "I'm going to screw this up. I've already done it once already."

Wilson strode to House, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Matthews knows you're…unique. Why do you think she's still with you?"

House twisted his mouth. "Well, the sex is pretty damned exceptional…"

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Besides that. And…thanks for the visual." He squeezed House's shoulder before releasing it to stick his hands in his pockets. "Yes, you suck at personal relationships. Everyone knows that, Matthews included. Oddly enough, you're screwing this up less badly than anyone thought you would."

"I don't _want_ to screw up." House thumped his cane on the concrete. "For once, I just want to do this right."

"You are doing it right. You just don't realize it." Wilson started to head to his car. "She's one hell of a woman, House. Tougher than she looks."

House turned and started toward his own car. Avery was one hell of a woman, no doubt. He just hoped he was man enough to be what she needed.

# # #

"Luuucy! I'm hoooome!" House did a passable Ricky Ricardo impression as he limped into his apartment. Whatever Avery was cooking, he could smell it all the way outside. It was then he realized that she had opened all his windows to let in the warm spring air.

"Kitchen!"

House stepped up behind Avery, setting his chin on her shoulder, placing a tender kiss on her neck. "Smells good, babe."

"Mm-hm…should be ready soon."

He chuckled, that deep, mellow sound she loved. "I meant you. Duh."

She laughed in reply. "Maybe I did too."

"Nicely played." House's hand left Avery's waist, patting her rear.

"I learned from the best, right?"

House tilted his head and regarded Avery with a skeptical look. "Nope. Pretty sure that was in you all along. I'll be in there." He jerked his head toward the living room.

Soon they were settled in on the couch, eating their meal and watching House's TiVo'd soap opera. Avery hated to admit it, but she had gotten sucked into the daytime drama as well. She had nearly choked when House told her the story of the time he kidnapped the lead actor.

Avery stretched out on the couch, her head in House's lap while he absentmindedly played with her hair. It almost seemed like an ordinary night, except that tomorrow she would be up on that stand again, facing down Bryan, telling her story, reliving the assault. She wondered if House had gone through similar emotions before his own case. Avery knew he had gone through them during and after his testimony.

She shifted slightly on House's lap, causing him to look down at her.

"You alright there?"

"Fine. Just, you know…thinking." Avery turned on her side, placing her hand on House's thigh.

House nodded. "Tomorrow will be tough. Good thing you are, too."

"So I keep hearing." Avery sighed. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. It's not like he can hurt me."

House snorted. "Might have something to do with reliving the whole damn experience. Pretty unnerving, believe me."

"So I'm not being wussy?"

"No more than I was." House kissed his fingers, then touched Avery's face. "Now hush, woman. Nurse Shelby's about to reveal the identity of her twins' baby daddy."

# # #

They arrived at the courthouse the next morning, both of them short on sleep. Avery had tossed and turned throughout the night, finally leaving House's bed for the couch. House awakened to discover her gone and had tried unsuccessfully to encourage her to come back to bed. He didn't realize how used he had gotten to having another person in his bed, and now it seemed unusual to sleep alone. Not just unusual, but flat out wrong.

The proceedings got underway, and after opening statements, Wilson was called to the stand. He was his usual calm and professional self as he recounted finding Avery bleeding and unconscious in the parking lot. Avery felt House's hand tighten around hers as Wilson told his story.

Finally Avery was called to the stand. She straightened herself to her full height and strode elegantly past the defense table. Bryan's eyes seemed to follow her as she took her oath and sat down.

The prosecuting attorney began the questioning, and Avery began to tell of how Bryan had came upon her in the parking lot after she left Wilson at his car. She could feel her breathing speed up and her palms sweat as she recalled the way he had taunted her, slammed her against the door, and slashed at her with the knife.

"Do you recall anything else?"

Avery shook her head. "No. The next thing I remember was waking up in the ER."

"No further questions."

The defense attorney rose from the table and stood in front of Avery. She could feel Bryan's eyes on her as the attorney gathered himself and began his ling of questioning. Avery looked past the prosecuting attorney's table to the gallery, where Wilson and House both sat. Wilson gave her a small thumbs up, and House nodded ever so slightly, encouraging her.

She arranged herself in her seat and prepared herself for whatever dirt the attorney might throw at her.

"Doctor Matthews." He paused for a bit of dramatic effect. "Did you arrange to meet Mister Stone in the parking lot that night?"

_Now why in the hell would I do that?_ "No. I was simply on my way home after work."

"When you say home…do you mean your apartment, or Doctor Gregory House's?"

_Okay, what does that matter…_ "I think I was headed for Doctor House's that night. I really don't remember."

"Do you remember what you told Mister Stone during your…discussion in the parking lot?"

"All I told him was to go away and leave me alone. I didn't want him to go back to jail for something foolish."

"Are you sure that was all?"

"Yes." Avery nodded firmly. "He threatened me, and I screamed and tried to get away. That's when he blew up at me, slashed at me, and slammed me into my car."

"What did he say to you?"

Avery closed her eyes as she recalled exactly what he said. "'I told you to leave that old bastard alone, but you just wouldn't fucking listen.'" She saw House tense with rage, his knuckles white from gripping his cane so tightly. If looks could kill, Bryan would be a bleeding pile of bones on the floor.

She could feel the tears forming behind her eyelids. Her body shook as the defense attorney finished and she was dismissed from the stand. House was there waiting, an arm already out for her to curl into. He pulled her close, whispering in her ear.

"I'm proud of you, babe. You did it."

Avery would have burst out crying right there if Bryan hadn't been so close. Instead she buried herself in House's shoulder, inhaling his spicy, musky scent, allowing it to comfort her. Wilson reached across with a hand, earning a smack and a glare from House. As far as House was concerned, comforting Avery was _his _job. Wilson could support her…some other way.

House wasn't lying when he told Avery he was proud of her. He knew how difficult this day would be, and he was proud of her for standing up to the bastard that sat at the defense table. Hopefully he would get a few more years added to his sentence, long enough to keep him out of his and Avery's hair for a good long time.

The jury returned after a short deliberation, and the foreman presented the verdict to the judge via the bailiff. Avery held her breath as the judge read the verdict.

"Mister Stone, this court finds you guilty of all charges. Sentencing will be held shortly. This court is dismissed."

Avery and House both released the breath they had been holding. House looked over at her, winking ever so slightly and lightly squeezing her hand.

"Told you it would be alright."

Avery laughed a little. "No you didn't. All you said was that it'd be tough, but I could do it."

"And you did, right? So technically, I was right."

"Oh for God's sake. Does it really matter? I'm leaving." Wilson rose to leave when Avery stopped him, reaching out for his hand.

"Thank you for coming out. It means a lot to me."

Wilson smiled warmly. "Glad I could help. See you two later."

Avery watched the young oncologist walk away, and she couldn't help but wonder if he had developed the tiniest little crush on her. He was behaving a bit differently toward her lately, and it made her wonder. Not that she'd ever mention it to House, of course. He had a pretty wide jealous streak, and things could get ugly if he ever suspected any impropriety. Not that there ever would be, of course. Which meant there was no reason to say anything to House. None at all.

**Thanks to those of you who continue to read. Now show some love and leave a review. :)**


	34. Wedding Bell Blues

**All usual disclaimers apply here. I don't own anything related to House, so don't bother suing me.**

On the drive back to Princeton, House seemed preoccupied. Avery wondered if Wilson's actions had anything to do with his sudden change of mood. Normally she would just let it be and let House work it out for himself, but this seemed different, somehow.

"Something on your mind, baby?"

House seemed to snap out of his thoughts, quickly turning toward the sound of Avery's voice. "No, nothing earth-shattering." The lie slipped so easily from his lips. It was a bit startling for someone who prided himself on blunt honesty.

He had noticed Wilson's behavior during and after the proceedings today. If he didn't know better, he'd say that Wilson had a…thing for Avery. No, that didn't seem quite right. A 'thing' implied something House would rather not think about. It seemed more like…a crush. Innocent, harmless.

House sighed heavily. Maybe he was just reading too much into the situation. He glanced over at Avery, watching her as she drove. Her elegant face was the picture of calm now that everything was over, and she was humming along to the song on the radio, her fingers drumming the steering wheel as she drove.

Avery was an exquisitely beautiful woman, and she attracted attention wherever she went. It always gave House a small sense of pride when he was alongside her, drawing her close to him, advertising the fact that she was with _him_. He knew that the hospital scuttlebutt still expressed surprise at the pairing, and surprise that House had managed not to ruin things…yet.

That scuttlebutt included Wilson. Oh, he of little faith…but not without reason. House had always had a penchant for destructive personal behavior. How many of Wilson's relationships had House managed to help destroy over the years? If Wilson found a way to come between he and Avery, wouldn't that only be just?

House huffed in irritation at his line of thought and turned to look out the window. The clouds that had formed earlier that day had started to dissipate, and a few weak rays of sunshine started to find their way through. _Interesting coincidence._ Finally he heard Avery's voice breaking into his thoughts.

"…so I thought maybe we'd just order in tonight. Is that okay with you?"

He turned back to Avery. "Fine. Sounds good."

Avery regarded him skeptically. "You haven't been listening to a word I've said, have you?"

House froze, that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look in his eyes. "Maybe…no, sorry. Not a word."

She chuckled, slightly amused by his reaction. "It's okay. It wasn't important anyway."

Avery parked the car in front of House's building, shutting off the ignition and turning to House. Before he could step out of the car, she gently took his face in both hands, feeling the roughness of his returning stubble, drawing him to her for a long, languorous kiss.

"Mmmm…not that I'm questioning that…but what was that for?" House reached up to stroke Avery's cheek.

"Oh…no reason. Do I need a reason to plant a hot, wet one on my man?"

_My man._ House grinned, loving the way that sounded. "Nope, none at all." He closed the gap, gripping the back of Avery's neck, kissing her forcefully, passionately.

He heard Avery giggle deep in her throat, and he broke the kiss, studying her.

"Okay, what's so funny, woman?"

"Nothing…I'm just trying to remember the last time I made out with a guy in a car."

The thought amused House as well. "Well…not to show my age, but…I think disco was still alive the last time I did. With a girl, I mean. Never done it with a guy."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Too much information, baby."

House felt his cheeks burn a little. "My bad." He pulled her in again, pressing his lips to her neck, inhaling that sweet scent. "Care to take a little trip back in time?"

She giggled again, her fingers running through his hair and stroking the back of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. That was the answer he sought, and he captured her soft lips again, knowing she was enjoying this little time travel excursion as much as he was.

# # #

They emerged from the car an hour or so later, the cramped space finally becoming too much for House's leg. House's eyes teased Avery, promising much more once they got inside.

Avery ordered Chinese for the two of them, and the two got comfortable on the couch while they waited, watching a movie, wrapped up in each other. It just felt…right, natural, as if they belonged together.

A knock on the door heralded the arrival of dinner, and they soon had containers spread all over the coffee table, falling into their comfortable habit of stealing each other's food. House stole the occasional glance at Avery as she watched the movie, her feet curled up under her, picking out pieces of her Princess Chicken with her chopsticks. An impulse, one he had been turning over in his mind for weeks, rose up in him. He set down his container of Mongolian Beef and turned so he faced Avery.

Avery felt his eyes on him from the other end of the couch. Her eyes crinkled in amusement as she met those cool blue eyes with her warm brown ones.

"Yes?"

House's heart was thudding in his chest. He was surprised Avery couldn't hear it from where she sat. He leaned over and took Avery's container from her hands, setting it on the coffee table. Avery looked a little baffled, but didn't say anything. House moved closer, taking Avery's left hand in his.

Avery noticed that House's hands were shaking ever so slightly, and she held her breath, waiting for him to say…something, anything. Finally, he took a deep breath, exhaling heavily.

House tried to gather the thoughts that crashed into each other in his mind. He had rehearsed this moment in his head for weeks. _Weeks._ He had told no one what he had in mind, not even Wilson. This was one thing he was absolutely determined to get right.

"Marry me." _So much for the big speech._

Avery looked a bit startled, then regarded him with a questioning expression. "What?"

_Dammit…of all the times to play dumb._ House rolled his eyes, huffing with exasperation. "I said…" He leaned in closer, whispering in her ear. "_Marry me._"

Avery placed a hand on House's neck, holding him near. "Tell me something."

"Hmm?" House was working his way down her neck.

"Why now?"

"Don't know." He pulled back, searching Avery's face for some kind of clue, something that would tell him the answer he was looking for. "It just seems like…the right time."

House looked at Avery, a hopeful expression mingled with something that almost looked like fear. She had never seen him so openly vulnerable. He was laying his heart out on the line, going for broke. Avery knew in that moment there was only one answer she could possibly give.

"I will."

House's face lit up in that wide smile she loved to see. "Seriously? Did I hear you right?"

"Yes." Avery spoke emphatically, taking House's face in her hands. "I want to marry you, Gregory House."

House's lips crashed into hers, pushing her against the armrest of the couch, his tongue pressing its way into her mouth, all the emotion that had been building in him pouring out and flowing over, as if a dam were breaking.

It had been a gamble, a major gamble, one that House could never had foreseen taking. He was just damned grateful that it had paid off.

Wilson heard House long before he flung the office door open, inviting himself in. He had a grin that could only be described as 'shit-eating', which could mean something very good…or something that might require Wilson to post bail later.

He cast a glance at House as he strode in and plopped himself on the couch, bouncing his cane between his legs, tapping his left foot with a sort of nervous energy. Wilson grew impatient waiting for whatever revelation might spill from his best friend's mouth, finally putting down his pen and leaning back in his desk chair.

"I assume you're here for a reason."

"Yep."

"Do you plan on…sharing that reason?"

House leaned forward, elbows on his knees, playing with the cane. He looked up at Wilson, his blue eyes sparkling with…something Wilson had never seen. It looked sort of like…joy. Genuine joy.

"I popped the question."

Wilson blinked rapidly in surprise. This wasn't even remotely close to what he expected to come out of House. "Wow. Damn. So…what did she say?"

House rolled his eyes. "What the hell do you think she said?! Of course she said yes. Duh."

Wilson smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course she did. Congratulations."

House was a little surprised at Wilson's reaction. Not that he expected him to jump up and down, squealing like a girl, but…

"Damn. I thought you'd be happy for me, or something."

"I am, House. Of course I'm happy for you. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know…you tell me." House studied Wilson's face for a moment. Finding nothing, he pushed himself off the couch and limped to the office door. "Don't worry, Wilson. I'm sure I'll find a way to fuck it up before the wedding bells actually ring." House slammed the door and thumped down the hall, whistling as he went. Wilson wasn't sure, but it sounded vaguely like "Wedding Bell Blues".

Wilson leaned forward, elbows on his desk, processing the news. It wasn't that he was jealous, exactly. He was beyond thrilled that House and Matthews had found each other. It's just that he was surprised that it looked like it was leading to the altar.

Things had changed between he and House, and he just didn't know how to handle it. It was as if their roles were suddenly rewritten, but nobody had handed Wilson the new script.

_I never should have asked Matthews for that favor._ The thought caught Wilson by surprise. If he had truly wanted Matthews for himself, wouldn't he have made that move already? All of a sudden, Wilson had a lot to think about.

# # #

Avery was working away when she heard the soft tap on her office door.

"Come on in, it's open."

The door opened, revealing Cameron. "Hey, have time for lunch?"

Avery smiled. Ever since House's shooting, the two women had grown remarkably close, and often spent lunch hours together, chatting and gossiping about anything and everything. "Of course. Give me just a minute."

She started to gather her things when Cameron spotted something sparkling on Avery's left hand. Her eyes widened as she reached out to grab Avery's hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

A slow smile started on Avery's face. "Well, I wasn't going to go broadcasting it, but…"

Cameron grinned and gave the older woman a bear hug, nearly squeezing the life out of Avery. "This is _amazing_! You know you're going to have to tell me all about it now. Have you guys set a date?"

"Not yet. Baby steps, Cameron. You know."

"Oh, I know. This is just so…wow, huge. Wait until I tell Robert."

Avery chuckled as the two left her office, passing by the diagnostics conference room and House's office. House happened to look up from his whiteboard as the two women passed, and Cameron looked over, mouthing 'Congratulations' and giving him a big smile. He half-smiled, dipping his head slightly, and returned to his differential. Now that Cameron knew…the rest of the hospital wouldn't be far behind.

# # #

The two women ran into Wilson on their way to the elevators. Avery greeted him with a warm smile.

"On your way to lunch?"

"Yes. House looked like he was busy, so I figured I'd head down without him." He glanced at Avery. "So…I hear congratulations are in order?"

Avery nodded. "No date yet, but…yes, he proposed, I accepted."

Wilson smiled half-heartedly. "That's…great. Congratulations." He stepped off the elevator and walked toward the cafeteria.

"What's wrong with him? I thought he'd be thrilled for House." Cameron tilted her head, watching Wilson as he walked away.

"I thought he would, too." Avery knitted her brow in concern. "Something's not right here."

"You don't think…"

"Think what?"

"No…you'll think I'm crazy." Cameron shook her head. Avery nodded at Cameron, encouraging her to continue. "Okay, look. You know that House and Wilson have been friends forever, right?" Avery nodded. "Maybe there's…more to the story."

Avery frowned. "No, I don't think that's it. I mean, there's probably more to the story, but it's not what you're thinking." Slowly something started to dawn on her. "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"Wilson's and House's roles have been reversed, and Wilson doesn't know how to deal with it."

Cameron looked askance at Avery. "Do you really think it's that simple?"

Avery shrugged. "Beats the hell out of your theory."

Cameron chuckled. "You're probably right. So, what do we do?"

"Wilson needs a friend, preferably one that isn't House."

"Right…and House probably needs a friend that isn't Wilson." Cameron's eyes suddenly lit up. "Maybe…Robert and I could…"

"Tag team. Chase could take House, and you could take Wilson. You two get along, right?"

"Right." Cameron smiled warmly. "I'll page Robert. The sooner we get these two back together, the better. Chase shouldn't be the one planning House's bachelor party."

**This is the part where you push that little button and give me your feedback. I love reviews. :)**


	35. No Reason To Change

**I still don't own them, but I'm still having fun. Matthews belongs to me.**

House was sitting in his office, tossing his ball into the air and catching it, still trying to puzzle out Wilson's reaction to his engagement to Avery. It made no damn sense. Wilson had been on his ass for years, encouraging him to form human connections, pushing him to just get over himself and get out there. Now that House had a good…no, _great_ thing going with Avery, Wilson was suddenly less than enthusiastic.

He heard his office door open, and for a moment he thought it was Wilson. Instead Cuddy came waltzing through the door, gently closing it behind her.

"So." Cuddy smiled warmly. "I understand congratulations are in order."

"Yep." House continued tossing the ball. "Who'd have thought, right?"

"I always hoped something like this would happen one day." Cuddy brushed her hand along the edge of his desk. "Never thought it would end up in marriage, but…you know. I just hoped that you would find some measure of happiness."

House chuckled. "Now, we both know I don't do 'happy', Cuddy. Let's just say I'm very…content these days."

"That is a great leap forward, House. I'm happy for you."

"Yeah, well…still plenty of time to fuck it up between now and…whenever."

Cuddy laughed. "That's a good one, House. I don't think Matthews would let you. She has better control over you than I do."

"She still can't make me do clinic, though. Even she doesn't have that much power."

Cuddy laughed and shook her head. "I might have to talk to her about that. Anyway, congratulations."

"Hold on. How did you find out about this?"

"Wilson told me at the board meeting this afternoon. I thought he'd be a bit more…"

"Yeah. Me too. I don't know what the hell his problem is."

"Just give him some time to get used to the idea. He probably doesn't know what to do with you now. See you around, House."

House nodded. There was probably something to that.

He set his ball back on his desk and turned to the computer to check his e-mails and play a few games. He had no sooner gotten started when Chase knocked on his door.

_Must be a slow day. Isn't anyone working?_ House waved him in. "What brings you up this way, Pretty Boy? Ran out of people to cut up today?"

"No…just came up to make sure the Pod People weren't invading. Couldn't think of any other reason for the rumors of your impending nuptials."

House rolled his eyes. "Yes, your blonder half told you correctly. There is a woman on this earth crazy enough to want to marry me. Be astounded."

Chase chuckled. "I was thinking I might help Wilson plan the bachelor party. Seems like the least I can do after the bash you threw for me." He cast a slightly evil grin at House. "Any known allergies?"

House snorted. "No…and I don't think Wilson's going to have anything to do with it. He's not so happy about this turn of events."

"Really." Chase frowned. "Now why would that be?"

"Damned if I know." House huffed in frustration. "You'd think he'd be happy that I'm finally getting my shit together."

"Sounds like things are changing for both of you. Maybe he thinks you don't need him now that you've got Matthews."

House shook his head. "I've been with Matthews for damn near a year. Hell, he's the one that set us up, more or less. Why would he be upset now?"

Chase shrugged. "A few rides, a few dates, that's casual stuff. That comes and goes. This is different, and both of you know it. This one's a life changer."

"You're telling me."

"For Wilson, too. Now that you and Matthews are becoming…permanent, maybe you won't rely on him so much. Maybe you won't need him."

The idea made House's mind stop in its tracks. He couldn't imagine ever _not_ needing Wilson. Good times or bad, he needed Wilson.

"Well, thanks for stopping by. I've got things to do." House rose from his chair, leaning on his cane.

"Whoa there. Slow down." Chase stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He quickly removed it when House glared at him. "All I'm saying is…let Wilson work it out. He'll come back to you. He always does."

House paused, then nodded. He knew Chase was right, even if he wouldn't admit it outright. "Yeah, well…I've got paperwork and porn to catch up on anyway."

"Right." Chase rolled his eyes in amusement. "I'll see you around. Let me know about the bachelor party."

# # #

Wilson was finishing up some patient files when he heard a knock at the door.

"Door's open!"

The door opened to reveal Cameron poking her head inside. "Got a minute?"

"Sure. Come on in."

Cameron entered, wandering around the office, trying to decide how to start. Finally she decided to get to the point.

"So…House and Matthews are doing the deed, huh?"

"So it appears."

"Are you okay with that?"

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

Wilson leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. "Okay, are you on a spy mission from House?"

"No." Cameron folded her own arms over her chest. "I'm just trying to figure out why you aren't happy for House."

"Just because I'm not squealing with joy doesn't mean I'm not happy for him."

"That's not the whole story though, is it?"

"Look, Cameron." Wilson sighed quietly. "This…changes things. A lot. I'm not sure where I stand anymore."

"Sounds like things have been changing for a long time."

"They have. I almost wish I had never asked her to give him a ride home." Damn, he hated admitting that.

"Then House would be the same old miserable, misanthropic ass he's always been. Is that really what you want?"

"No, of course not!" Wilson sank back in his chair. "I always thought I was okay with change."

"It's not the change you have a problem with." Cameron sat on the edge of the couch. "Maybe House needs you less now. I can see how that would be kind of difficult to deal with."

Wilson looked thoughtful and a little sad. "House always says I don't do well with losing people."

"You're not losing him just because things have changed for him. This is a _good_ thing, for House and for you."

"Matthews has been really good for him. I guess I never thought I'd see the day…"

"Hardly anybody did, Wilson. I guess we all need to get used to something resembling a happy House." Cameron rose and started toward the door. "Go talk to him. He needs to know you're not going anywhere. Besides, you don't want Chase to plan his bachelor party, do you?"

A small smile found its way to Wilson's face. "As hilarious as that idea is…no, you're right. I couldn't do that to the guy."

Cameron smiled and left. Wilson sat back in his chair, deep in thought. He would make amends with House, but first…he had a few words for the woman he brought into House's life.

# # #

A familiar tap on Avery's door brought a small smile to her face.

"Come on in, Wilson. Door's open."

Wilson entered, looking almost sheepish. He paced in front of her desk, rubbing the back of his neck. Finally he came to a stop and put his hands in his pockets.

"I…kind of have a confession."

Avery leaned forward, folding her hands. "Go on."

"I like you. A lot. And I like you with House. You're good for him." He took a deep breath. "I never would have guessed that it would ever go this far. I just…never expected it to last."

Avery's heart went out to Wilson. "You're a good man, Wilson. And you're a good friend to Greg." She smiled. "Our relationship shouldn't change what you two have, not at its core."

"He might need me less now. I guess that wouldn't be so bad."

"It's not that he'll need you less. He'll just need you…differently. You know, there might come a time when I'll need you to take him away for a while."

Wilson chuckled. "I find that a little hard to believe. He's pretty attached to you. And I mean that in the best possible way."

"Oh believe me, it'll happen eventually." She stood and walked around her desk to where Wilson stood to give him a quick hug.

Wilson was a bit stunned, giving Avery a hug in return. If House walked in here right now…

They separated, and Wilson took Avery in head to toe. Okay, she was undeniably beautiful, and the way she looked at a man would make any man's heart skip a beat or two.

"House is a damned lucky man. I hope he knows that."

"He's a damned lucky man to have a friend like you. Now go talk to him."

"Okay, okay. I'm going. See you later."

Avery watched him leave her office, still a little puzzled by Wilson's behavior. On one hand, he was obviously happy for his friend. On the other…she just wasn't sure. Whatever it was, it was probably harmless, and it would pass.

# # #

Wilson found House out on his office balcony, puffing on a cigar and toying with a Coke can. He turned when he heard Wilson slide open the door.

"Oh, it's you."

Wilson knew House wouldn't make this easy, but he went on anyway, leaning against the doorway as he spoke. "I was…kind of an ass earlier."

"Yeah, I know."

"You know how I am when I lose people…"

House whipped his head around. "Dammit, you're not losing me. Get that through your thick skull, will you?"

"I know that." Wilson rubbed the back of his neck. "Look…things have been changing for…a while. Not in a bad way, just…different." He walked out onto the balcony to stand beside House. "I don't know what to make of you anymore. It's like you're this whole new person."

House snorted. "Don't worry, I'm still an asshole. Just ask around. I'm just in less pain, that's all."

Wilson knew that House wasn't just talking about his physical pain. "So you don't need me to write your Vicodin prescriptions anymore. That's not a bad thing."

"Oh, I'm not getting rid of you. Before too long, I'll probably need a best man. I'd ask Chase, but…he doesn't owe me any favors."

"Favors? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Hello? I've done the best man thing _three times_ for you. With any luck, you'll only have to do this once. Oh, and that will include the bachelor party."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "I'm going to have one hell of a time topping Chase's. You know that people _still_ talk about that one?"

House grinned and took a puff from his cigar. "What can I say? I'm a legend."

"Yeah…in your own mind."

House grabbed his chest. "Dude, that hurt."

Wilson chuckled and leaned on the railing. "You know, you're a damned lucky man. Matthews is one hell of a woman."

"So you keep saying. You hot for her or something?"

"What?! No, no…"

House laughed at Wilson's obvious discomfort. "You are! You're totally hot for Avery! I knew it!"

Wilson blushed furiously and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know what? You're right. You are still an asshole."

"Told you."

Wilson took a deep breath, not knowing if he could get away with what he was going to say next. "Yes, your fiancee's very attractive. And I'm very happy for you both. So…congratulations."

House nodded firmly. "Go grab the bourbon. It's celebration time. There's another cigar in there, too, if you want one."

The two men sat out on the balcony, Wilson sipping bourbon, House sipping another Coke, both of them puffing on a cigar. They talked long after the sun set, mostly sharing the gossip of the day, reaffirming their bond once again.

Avery poked her head into House's office on her way out. Seeing the two men sitting out there, she opted to leave a short text on House's phone instead of interrupting them. As she left, Wilson's voice carried out to her.

"You have 'More Than A Woman' as Avery's ringtone? You have got to be kidding me."

"It's her text tone. You don't want to hear her ringtone…"

**Read and review. Show me some love. :)**


	36. The Winner Takes It All

**Finally got another one up and ready to roll. As usual, I only own Avery, not the others.**

House let himself into his apartment that night after dropping off Wilson. Wilson had drank a little more of the bourbon than he had planned, and for once it was House ensuring that he arrived safely home. He had chuckled at this turn of events, singing "The Times They Are A-Changin'" loudly and off-key as House deposited him unceremoniously in his living room. House made a note to ask Avery to pick Wilson up in the morning, since they kept a similar schedule.

Avery was stretched out on the couch, flipping through a magazine. House couldn't help but notice how the solitaire on her left hand sparkled in the light of the living room as she turned the pages. He found himself absentmindedly playing with his own left ring finger, as if trying to imagine a band wrapped around it.

The thought made him chuckle, making Avery lift her head. She peered over her reading glasses at House.

"Hey, baby. Food's in the fridge."

"Stop, woman. You're turning me on." House grinned teasingly and leaned down for a kiss. "Don't tell me that's one of those godawful bridal magazines."

Avery laughed. "Unless the American Journal of Cardiology has suddenly started advertising wedding dresses…"

"Thank God." House paused for a moment. "Unless, of course…you want all that fancy crap."

Avery pondered this. When she was engaged to Bryan, she had pulled out all the stops planning a perfect wedding, only to have it all fall apart. It was then she realized that it wasn't the wedding that made a marriage, it was the people involved. This time around, simple sounded better.

"No, I don't need it. It could be you, me, and a judge for all I care."

Something in Avery's tone didn't sound quite right to House. He poked his head out of the kitchen. "Are you sure about that?"

Avery was baffled. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason." House retreated to the kitchen, emerging with a dinner plate and a Coke, plopping down on the couch. "Just seems that, you know, being a girl and all…"

"Woman. I'm an old woman, Greg. I don't need a fancy wedding. I'd rather focus on the _marriage_." She tilted her head at House. "Unless of course…_You_ want all the fancy stuff. I'll bet you look quite dashing in a tuxedo."

"Guess you'll find out this weekend." House quickly deflected, tossing a paper at Avery. "Hospital fundraiser on Saturday night."

Avery let it go and opened the paper. "Oh yes. I got this yesterday. Texas Hold 'Em tournament, eh? This sounds fun."

"Do you play?"

"Mmm…not really, but I'm sure it will be fun anyway."

"You know…" House's eyes looked Avery up and down. "It's a formal occasion. You're going to have to get all fancy."

"Good." Avery smiled. "I have something in mind."

"Really…" House's hand touched her knee and started roaming up her thigh. "Going to show it to me?"

"Sure…on Saturday. Isn't it bad luck to see your girlfriend's formal dress before the fundraiser?"

"Fiancee. And I'll take my chances."

"Mmm…too bad. You're just going to have to wait." Avery kissed the tip of House's nose and rose from the couch.

"Damn." House's imagination was already fired up. While the anticipation might not kill him, it would definitely sting a little. He was sure that Avery would make it worth the wait.

# # #

House arrived at Avery's on Saturday night, adjusting his tie and tapping his formal cane on the door. She was taking her own damn sweet time answering the door, and he was starting to get a little impatient.

He was about to knock for the third time when the door swung open, revealing an even more stunning version of Avery. House didn't think that was possible.

Her hair was upswept in a loose bun, a few tendrils carefully pulled down to frame her lovely face. She wore a royal blue satin full-length strapless gown, the floating heart pendant resting just above the curves of her cleavage that rose just above the neckline. In her heels, she could nearly look him in the eye as she picked up her dress and stepped toward him, lightly kissing him on the cheek.

House let out a low whistle, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. He bent down to press a small kiss to her neck, inhaling the soft musk scent she had chosen for the evening. His hand slipped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"You know, nobody will miss us if we don't show up…"

Avery laughed gently, wrapping her arms around House, enjoying the leather and spice scent that wafted from him. As she suspected, he was devilishly handsome in that tuxedo, and she briefly considered taking him up on that offer.

"As tempting as that sounds…Cuddy will have both our heads if we don't show." She brushed her lips against his stubble, ending at his ear. "Don't worry…I'll make it worth your while."

"Well what the hell are we waiting for?! Game on, babe."

The lobby was packed by the time House and Avery arrived, and they wove their way through the crowd, finding Wilson and Taub at a table. They separated, leaving House playing cards, while Avery took up a spot as a dealer at an adjacent table.

The table talk started almost immediately, but House barely noticed. His eyes darted between his cards and Avery, watching her as she charmed those seated at her table. Her elegant hands waved about as she deftly dealt the cards and flipped the cards in the center.

He damn near lost the first hand, he was so distracted.

Taub noticed House's behavior, suppressing a small smirk. Matthews was looking exceptionally lovely tonight, even Taub had to admit that. Even after all this time, the jury was still out on House's and Matthews' relationship. The tongues had started wagging the minute the pair walked in, and hadn't stopped since. Suddenly, the table where Matthews was dealing became very popular.

"Matthews is drawing quite a crowd tonight." Taub watched House's face carefully for a reaction.

"The pretty ones usually do." House intoned mildly.

Taub looked at his cards, sighing almost imperceptibly. "I might have to change tables. My luck's running out over here."

House narrowed his eyes, casting a sharp glance at Taub. "Funny. Mine's just starting."

Wilson snorted, taking another drink of his beer and leaning over near Taub. "You leave this table, you're a dead man."

Taub shrugged. "Not like I could get a seat at that table anyway."

House folded, annoyed. "I need a drink. Don't bother saving my seat."

He limped to the bar, taking a Coke and casting a glance around the room. Taub and Wilson still sat at the table, chatting idly and continuing their game. Players milled around Avery's table, switching in and out. She smiled sweetly, making conversation with the players as she dealt.

She had a natural charm, no doubt. Even Taub had noticed. For some reason his comments had stirred…something in him. It made House think of Bryan and his obsessive behavior toward Avery. Who was to say he was any better? After all, he was the one leaning up against the bar, thinking vaguely murderous thoughts about Taub and anyone else that might try to give Avery any attention.

He made his way through the crowd again, working his way to Avery's table. The minute a chair opened, he maneuvered himself into it, glaring at the young man who was right behind him.

"Age before beauty, princess. Sorry."

Avery's lip twitched in an amused expression as she dealt House in. The game progressed, House motioning to Avery with a flick of his eyes when he wanted a card. She flipped the final card over, and House's lips quirked upward, taking the hand.

They continued in this vein for several more hands, their witty repartee making their table the hit of the fundraiser. Finally, House lost the last of his chips, and rose to leave the table.

"Ah well. Easy come, easy go, right?" He took her hand and kissed it. "Nice dealing, Matthews."

"My pleasure, House."

Their eyes met across the table, sending each other a message. House let her hand go and stepped away from the table, gesturing to the young man whose place he had taken. "All yours. Good luck."

# # #

House stepped out of the lobby into the cool night air. The poker game with Avery had been quite a rush, to say the least. There was something about watching Avery deal, turning on the charm, but saving a bit of something for him. He felt…special, wanted. It was unnerving, but exciting.

A whiff of musk told him that Avery had come out to join him. He turned to see her glide over to him. She was still stunning after the long evening, her sleepy eyes the only indication for the lateness of the hour.

She stood beside him, snaking an arm around House's waist. He returned the embrace, softly kissing her on the temple.

"You were amazing in there tonight. Really turned on the charm."

Avery looked briefly worried. "Something wrong with that?"

House chuckled, thinking over his own knee-jerk jealous reaction. "No, not at all. You might have charmed the room, but only one person in that room who gets to take you home."

"Glad you see it my way." Avery drew nearer to House, placing both arms around his neck, pulling him to her for a soft, sweet kiss on his lips.

"Mmm…You don't think you're getting away with just that, do you?"

"God, I hope not."

House deepened the kiss, languidly slipping his tongue into her mouth, bringing her as close to him as he could, his hands moving up and down her back. Her hands stroked the back of his neck, moving her fingers through his hair, resting on the back of his head.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, coffee brown meeting cobalt blue.

"So…think we can sneak past Cuddy and get the hell out of here?"

House barked out a laugh. "Ah, I have taught you well." He leaned down to plant one more kiss on her soft lips. "I think we've done our time. Let's bail. I seem to remember you saying something about making this evening worth my while."

**This is the part where you read, then review. All feedback welcome except for those flame thingies. **


	37. Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

**Warning: Contains some spoilers for the S5 finale. I don't own anyone but Avery.**

Avery was attempting to unlock her apartment door, something that was increasingly difficult thanks to the distraction that was pressing his lips to her shoulder and the back of her neck.

She snickered as she fumbled her keys. "We'll never get in if you don't _stop._"

"Don't care." House's hand found her waist as he continued moving his mouth upward to her ear. "I'll take you right here."

"Right. I'll believe that when I see it."

"Don't tempt me, woman." The low growl in House's voice sent a shiver right through Avery. The lock finally clicked and they both stumbled through the door.

House closed the door behind him, watching Avery toe off her heels at the door. He caught her just as she started to walk away.

"Not so fast, babe." He pulled Avery in, wrapping his arms around her waist, resuming what he was doing outside her apartment door. "I've been thinking about _this_ all night." His hands roamed from her waist, up her ribcage, taking hold of the zipper and slowly pulling it down, exposing Avery's smooth back.

He pushed the dress, and it fell to the floor, pooling around her feet. Avery stepped out of it, away from House, starting down the hallway to the bedroom. House leaned against the door, arms crossed across his chest, enjoying the view as she walked away.

Realizing that he wasn't following her, she turned her head slightly. "Coming?"

He gave her a wicked grin. "Not yet…"

She snorted and continued down the hallway. "Don't keep me waiting, _man_."

"Don't you worry, _woman_. I'll make it worth the wait."

# # #

Avery met House at the bedroom door, taking him by the hand and leading him in. Her hands drifted up to his neck, drawing him down to her for a hot, lingering kiss. He responded in kind, hands around her waist, slipping down to feel the soft curve of her rear, playing with the waistline of her thong.

She slid his jacket off his shoulders, letting it hit the floor where they stood, moving on to untie his bow tie. He leaned further into her, pushing her back until she landed on the bed, her hands making quick work of his shirt buttons. She wrapped a leg around him, holding him close, feeling him press into her as he moved from her lips, brushing them against her neck, taking in her sweet, musky scent as he traveled down to the swell of her breasts, capturing a nipple and rolling his tongue over it, evoking a shaky breath from Avery.

House stroked the other nipple before continuing downward, leaving a trail of wet kisses down Avery's stomach, slowly dropping to his knees between her legs, shifting so most of his weight rested on his left leg. He rolled down her thigh-high stockings, tracing a line from just inside her knee up to her center, spreading the folds to access the softness that lay just beneath.

He briefly flicked her with his tongue, causing Avery to jump and gasp at the unexpected touch. She spread her legs further, encouraging him, raising her hips to meet the increasing pressure he was putting on her. Just as she neared her peak, he shifted gears, leaving her to meet her lips once again, nearly crushing her with the intensity.

Avery fumbled until she found the waist of his pants, quickly undoing them, pushing both his pants and his boxers off, shoving them the rest of the way with her feet. House teased her, playing with her until she was dangerously close to her edge, finally sinking into her, rocking her, taking her over, taking him with her, both of them collapsing from the exertion.

He eased out of her, stumbling a bit as he found his footing, then climbing onto the bed to lay beside Avery. House lay on his side, stroking her face with his thumb, leaning in for a small kiss.

"Dammit, woman." He was still breathing heavily. "I don't know how much longer I can keep up with you. I'm getting too old for this shit."

Avery chuckled softly, turning over to face House. "I'm not that far behind you. I'm starting to wonder myself."

"True. I forget that you're an old fart, too." House grinned as Avery smacked him in the arm. She rose from the bed, moving toward the bathroom, and he lifted himself up on his elbows to watch her go. _Pretty damn good for an 'old' woman._

He found his lounge pants and tugged them on, settling back on the pillows, closing his eyes. Soon Avery climbed in beside him, curling up to him with her head on his chest, savoring his scent, soothed to sleep by his steady breathing.

House felt himself drift off, one arm wrapped around Avery, the other over his head. A sound broke the silence. It sounded like…laughter.

Not joyful laughter, either. It was mocking, growing louder, until it was directly in his ear. House was familiar with this sound. It was a sound he thought he had left far behind him.

"A different version of the same old story. How sweet." _Amber. Fuck._ Suddenly she was in a chair in front of him, legs crossed and arms folded in that pose he knew so well.

House was frozen to his spot. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Amber tilted her head, a slight smile on her face. "I'm always here. I never left. I would never leave you."

_This isn't happening. Wake up. WAKE UP._

She stood up and walked toward him, looking House in the eye. "Does she know about me?" He shook his head, carefully watching her as she moved around him. "You mean…you haven't told her?! Shame on you, House."

"She doesn't need to know."

"Why? Are you…ashamed of me? I've only ever wanted to help you." Amber seemed to ponder this. "You know what? You're right. Don't tell her. She wouldn't understand. You wouldn't want to disappoint her, would you? You've done enough of that already, don't you think?"

House felt the panic rising in him. Amber was right. She usually was. Avery didn't need to know about this part of him.

"Do you really think she'd leave you over that?" A different voice broke in, a male voice. House turned to see Kutner standing off in the distance, a thoughtful expression on his face. "A lot's changed since then. Maybe the story's true now."

"Get real." Amber snapped. "People always say they'll take you as you are. People LIE."

Kutner shook his head in disagreement. "I'm telling you, this one's different. She'll be okay with it. Look at what she's put up with so far. Besides, have you seen her? She's totally HOT."

"So of course, that should be the deciding factor. Her hotness. Idiot." Amber turned to House again, her eyes narrowing. "Get rid of her. You'll only hurt her. This farce has gone far enough, don't you think?"

House's panic turned to anger at Amber's words. He glanced over to Kutner, who simply stood there, shaking his head, the slightest hint of a smile on his face.

"You're…happy now, and you know it. Don't listen to her. She's crazy." Kutner reached out to House and opened his hand. A simple ring lay in his palm. "It's all there waiting for you. All you have to do is take it."

House must have looked uncertain, because Kutner nodded to House, as if to encourage him. He started to reach for the ring, when Amber stormed over, closing the space between her and Kutner, knocking it out of his hand.

It clattered to the floor, and House lunged after it as it fell down a hole. The hole opened up, sucking House down an endless pit of darkness…

"Baby? Are you okay?" Avery's voice stabbed through the darkness, bringing House back to reality.

"What?"

Avery was upright in bed, stroking House's chest in concern. His heart was pounding, his hands were shaking, and he could feel the sweat running down his neck.

"You screamed loud enough to wake the dead. What happened?"

_Interesting choice of words._ "Nothing. Just a bad dream, I guess. It happens." Avery laid down, and they fell back into their previous sleeping position. House lightly stroked Avery's arm as she fell back asleep.

_Just a bad dream._ House hoped like hell that's all it was.

**Now's the time to give me some feedback. Push the button and tell me what you think.**


	38. A Matter Of Trust

**Back again. This chapter contains some major spoilers for S5, specifically the last few episodes. Once again, I don't own anything House-related.**

# # #

House slept fitfully at best the rest of the night, finally hauling himself out of bed and stretching himself out on the couch. He knew somehow that it _had_ been just a dream but damn…it had felt so frighteningly _real_.

As he lay there debating with himself about whether to tell Avery, he heard her pad into the living room, a lightweight robe wrapped around her. It seemed ridiculously early to be awake on a Sunday, as the weak morning light just started to stream through the windows. Giving up on sleep, he pushed himself to a sitting position, rubbing his eyes.

Avery heard House moving around, and as soon as she started the coffee maker, she wandered back out to the living room, where he was sitting up on the couch, his hair sticking up in multiple directions, his face still scrunched up and bleary from the night before. If she hadn't known about his bad night, she would have found it completely adorable.

She opened the apartment door, finding the Sunday paper in front of her door. Some of her favorite Sundays involved a pot of coffee and lounging around reading the paper. Today she would specifically focus on the real estate listings. Avery wasn't sure if House would be up to going from open house to open house today, given his lack of sleep the night before.

House had managed to stumble out to the kitchen, returning with two cups of coffee, carefully balancing them as he limped back into the living room. Avery picked up the real estate section and relaxed into the couch, her feet tucked under her. Just as she started to open it, she found a salt-and-pepper head in her lap, bright blue bloodshot eyes staring up at her. She set the newspaper aside and stroked his head, watching his eyes slowly drift closed.

The simple action comforted House, and he found himself drifting back to sleep. Before long, though, he jerked awake, his eyes flying open, wide with some emotion Avery couldn't quite define. There was fear, definitely, but there was something else, too.

"Another dream, baby?"

"Yeah." House's voice was rough. "It happens. No big deal." He reached out his arm to wrap around her waist, his head still in her lap. The dreams had been coming and going for the last couple of weeks, almost since he had proposed to Avery.

It wasn't that he didn't know what the dreams meant. That was a no-brainer. Any teenage girl with one of those moronic dream journals could figure that out. It was just that they represented another part of his life he would rather leave behind him, another part of his life he didn't feel the need to share with Avery.

She'd figure it out sooner or later, though. House pondered whether it would be better to just tell her now and be done with it. Logically, it would. He couldn't keep secrets from her. One never knew when something like this could come back to bite him in the ass. If she knew, she could at least be on the lookout for the signs. If she didn't, she could be blindsided, and House couldn't do that to her. She was too important to him now.

House felt Avery shift under him, patting him on the head. "Let me up, baby. I need my coffee." He pushed himself to a sitting position, reaching for his own cup. She pushed up her glasses and spread the newspaper on the coffee table in front of her. House noticed that Avery had several open houses circled.

Avery's elegant hands enveloped her coffee mug, and she took a deep sip, the diamond sparkling on her left hand. House couldn't help but smile as he watched her. Here they were, sitting in her living room on a Sunday morning, perusing open house listings and drinking coffee. It was damn near perfect.

"I kind of like this one." Avery pointed to a picture that she had circled. It was a three-bedroom ranch-style condo.

House chuckled. "Yours, mine, and ours. Nice."

Avery rolled her eyes. "I was thinking…guest room, office, ours."

"Guest room?" He shook his head at the idea. "No one in their right mind would want to stay with us."

"My parents, my brother and sister-in-law, your mom…"

"…Wilson after his next marriage goes to hell…"

Avery smacked House on the arm, but laughed in spite of herself. "At least he wouldn't have to sleep on that old couch of yours."

House pretended to look horrified. "That couch and I go way back. We have _history_."

"You mean that it should _be_ history."

"That's funny…you don't seem to mind it when I'm doing…_things_ to you on that old couch." House fixed her with a wicked grin, moving closer. "Matter of fact, judging by the sounds you make…you seem to _enjoy_ it." He kissed her firmly on the cheek.

Avery chuckled. "That's different. There's definitely no sleeping going on then."

"Better not be." House growled. "Otherwise…I'm not doing my job."

"I could certainly _never _accuse you of that." Avery gave House a soft kiss on the lips, pulling back with a concerned expression. "Are you sure you're okay?"

House rolled his tired eyes in exasperation. "I'm fine. I'll just go lay down for a while. Wake me up when you're ready to go."

Avery watched him limp down the hallway, his shoulders hunched over. Whatever load House was carrying today, it was heavy as hell. She just hoped he would be able to unload it before it crushed him.

# # #

House lay in Avery's bed, dozing lightly. He wasn't scared to fall asleep, exactly. He just didn't know what he would see when he did close his eyes, and he wanted to spare Avery another screaming wake up call.

At least it was _just_ dreams this time, rather than full on hallucinations. House thought he could probably deal with that. But it was only a matter of time before the lack of sleep caught up to him. He had some idea of what would happen then.

He shifted in bed, considering all of this. House did still have his brain guy on speed dial if he really needed it, and that was comforting. Maybe he wouldn't have to reveal all to Avery just yet.

"Baby?" A hand was shaking him awake. "Open house for that condo starts at one if you want to go check it out."

"Hmm…okay." House turned over to face her, and she was startled by his rough appearance.

"Did you sleep at all?"

"A little. I'll be fine."

Avery regarded him skeptically, but let it go. "Okay…I'll see you in a bit."

_Shit. Had a perfectly good opportunity there._ House heaved himself out of bed, stumbling for the shower. He'd bring it up to her soon. Very soon, before Avery found herself married to a stark raving lunatic.

# # #

Avery snuck the occasional glance over at House on the drive to the open house. He seemed even more preoccupied than he had earlier. She wondered if he wasn't downplaying his nightmares somewhat. Scratch that. She _knew_ he was downplaying them. It concerned her a great deal, and she wanted to find a way to voice that concern without invading House's space.

They arrived and took a brochure for the smiling realtor, then started looking around. The condo was quite lovely, an open space consisting of a large living room, a dining room, and a kitchen to die for. Avery immediately gravitated toward the kitchen, lovingly grazing her hands over the stainless steel appliances and the butcher block-topped center island. House was still out in the living room, noting the wall-spanning built-in bookshelves and the expansive space itself. He found himself mentally arranging furniture in the space, trying to figure out where his piano would fit.

Avery met him there, taking his hand and nearly dragging him into the master bedroom suite. It was a sizeable space, with a smallish bathroom off the bedroom. House peeked in, noticing the whirlpool tub first thing.

He nudged Avery. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

She chuckled when she saw the wicked gleam in his eye. "Maybe…"

"Nice long soak in that thing after a hard day…would be the best thing for my leg." He wrapped his arms around her waist, brushing his lips against her ear. "Not to mention a few other body parts."

"What do you know…I was thinking the same thing." Avery tilted her head in response. "Scary how we're on the same page."

House chuckled, then fell silent, resting his chin on her shoulder. His thoughts overwhelmed him. They were steadily moving forward, making plans for the next part of their lives. He wasn't just giving up his apartment. He was leaving an entire chapter of his life behind him, the chapter that was filled with pain and isolation and everything that was born of that. It was a scary idea for someone who had never been fond of change.

Change for House had always been a dirty word. Nothing good had ever come from change, until the last year or so. Had it really been that long? On some levels, it seemed that he and Avery had only gotten together yesterday. Of course, that wasn't true. She had changed his life is so many ways, it was hard for him to absorb it all. He couldn't have imagined this scene a year ago. House had long ago accepted that he would be a solo act, a confirmed bachelor, unwilling or unable to make a relationship work.

Avery had somehow managed to get to him, letting him know he was safe with her. No one else had made him feel that way, and he supposed this was all he ever really wanted from someone, that feeling of safety and security that would allow him to take down the barriers he had imposed on his heart. As he had pointed out to Avery once, one couldn't create something that wasn't already there.

The revelation surprised him, although it shouldn't have. House had always been remarkably astute when it came to reading other people, but never wanted to turn that scrutiny on himself. He held Avery a little tighter, exhaling loudly. If he was truly safe with her, he had nothing to lose by sharing one more piece of history with her. Hell, he owed it to her.

Avery turned her head slightly at the noise, feeling his hard breath on the back of her neck. "What's on your mind, baby?"

"Just thinking." House kissed her neck and released her. She turned so that she faced him, looking at House with questioning eyes. He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her steady gaze, shoving his left hand in his pocket. "I should have told you long before now…"

Avery folded her arms over her chest, trying to read House's face. "Can you start at the beginning of that thought, please?"

He lifted his chin, finally feeling brave enough to look Avery in the eye. "You know the dreams I've been having lately?"

"Yes?" Avery's heart started to pound a little. "What about them?"

House started pacing, suddenly nervous about revealing this piece of his past. "It's…complicated. I don't really know where to start."

She closed the small gap between them, reaching out to take his hand. "I know this is difficult for you. Take your time."

"You have no idea." He laughed darkly, stroking Avery's hand, feeling the sapphire and diamond ring that she still wore every day, the first symbol of their devotion to each other. House took a deep breath and continued. "The first time it happened, I was talking to Wilson as I was getting on the elevator. I had started seeing some shrink out of town, and he found out about it, gave me kind of a hard time about it. My vision kind of went fuzzy, and I heard Wilson tell me that I'd end up alone. I couldn't figure out why the hell he would say something like that."

Avery looked a bit alarmed, but encouraged House to continue, squeezing his hand a little tighter. "Not long after that, Kutner died. No signs, no warning, no nothing. It fucked me up. I was the guy with the answers, and there just…weren't any. I already didn't sleep much, and that just made it worse." House pulled away, afraid that he had already revealed too much. _Oh well. It's about to be all out there now. Might as well see where it goes._ "Before I knew it I started hallucinating, and those morphed into delusions. I ended up doing some time in the looney bin."

House's back was to Avery, and she could see his shoulders shaking. She walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his back, feeling the shortness of his breathing. After a long silence, he finally spoke again. "The delusions, the hallucinations…they finally stopped. Now…they're showing up in my dreams, and it's scaring the shit out of me."

"Of course it is. It scares me, too." House's heart sank a little, even as Avery wrapped her arms tighter. "But you recognize it now. It means you can catch it, maybe…head it off, it you need to. Maybe it's nothing but a reaction to stress."

"Stress? Now that's crazy."

"No it's not. Think about it." Avery relaxed her grip, allowing House to turn around to face her. "In the last year, you've met this woman, started a relationship, and now you're looking at moving out of your bachelor pad and getting hitched. You mean to tell me that's not stressful? And don't even get me started on all the other craziness of this year."

House nodded slowly. There might be something to that. Good stress was still…stress. Maybe this was just how his crazy brain processed it. He leaned down for a small kiss. "So you're not worried about marrying a crazy man?"

Avery laughed heartily, giving him an affectionate look. "You're crazy, but only in the best way. We're still on for a date at an altar somewhere." She returned his kiss, placing a hand on his cheek. "I'm glad you told me. You're a brave soul, you know that?"

He shrugged. "I trust you. I don't want to hurt you. If something happened and you didn't know…I'm not sure I could live with myself."

_I trust you._ Sweeter words had rarely been spoken. Those three little words meant the world to Avery, more than any empty declaration of love could have. The fact that House had come right out with it spoke volumes about him…and them. Avery was stunned that he had revealed so much about that dark time in his life. It was more than she expected.

She wrapped herself tightly around him, a lump growing in her throat, emotion over House's revelation flowing over her. All she wanted to do now was take House in, shelter him, protect him. Of course, that would be impossible, and would serve no useful purpose, and he'd just bite her head off anyway if she tried. He wasn't looking for help. He just wanted someone to be there for him, without judging him. Avery was determined to be that person, to the best of her abilities.

# # #

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	39. Roll With The Changes

**Insert the usual disclaimers here. Avery is mine, noone else is. Enjoy this slightly fluffy chapter. :)**

House could feel the lump rising in his throat as Avery clung tightly to him. He was emotionally raw after unloading on her, and he could feel her breathing hitch against his chest.

"I shouldn't have dumped all that on you." House's voice was rough as he pressed his lips to her forehead. "Just seemed like once I started…"

"I know. I know." Avery gently rubbed his back, her cheek against his chest. "It's just a lot to take in, that's all."

"You're the only one I've told the whole sordid tale to."

Avery leaned back, tilting her head. "Not even Wilson?"

House shrugged almost imperceptibly. "He was there for most of it. Cuddy too. They don't count." He released Avery, rubbing her arms, a sad, twisted smile on his face. "Aren't you the lucky one?"

She lifted her chin. "Yes, actually. I am." She reached out to touch his cheek. "You said you trusted me. I know you well enough to know that's a rare privilege."

His facial expression shifted into a softer smile, and he brushed her cheek with his thumb. "True enough." House glanced around the bedroom. "So, you want to see the rest of this place or what?"

Avery's lips quirked upward in a smile. "Only if you're done dropping bombs for the day."

"Mmm…for now, yeah." He pulled Avery in for one last hug, enveloping her completely in his long arms. "I'll make the bombs smaller from now on, okay?"

"Works for me."

"Good." House let Avery go, wandering out of the bedroom and down the hallway. "Babe, you've got to see this other bathroom. We could have a party in the damn thing!"

Avery laughed to herself, shaking her head as she followed him to see this wonder for herself. She hoped she could catch up to him before he started terrorizing the realtor.

# # #

After walking around the condo some more, and further exploring the surrounding yard, House and Avery discussed the idea of putting in an offer. The realtor was delighted and immediately took some information to get the process started. House felt nervous now that the whole process was about to begin. He would be taking on a mortgage with Avery. It felt like a bigger commitment than marriage.

Avery kept watching him on the drive back to his place. He seemed more at ease than he had earlier this afternoon, now that he had revealed that bit of his personal puzzle. House could feel her eyes on him, and he chuckled in amusement.

"What's so funny, baby?" Avery threw a questioning glance his way.

"Nothing…just a crazy day, that's all." House leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "Think I might crash for a while when we get home."

"Sounds good. I could do with some rest myself."

Avery pulled into the space in front of House's building, and House let them in, immediately toeing off his shoes at the door. He caught Avery on her way through and pulled her close, capturing her lips and pressing his tongue into her mouth.

They lingered there for a moment before Avery broke away. "Any special reason for that?"

"Aside from the fact that I just really like it…Yeah." He leaned down slightly to kiss her forehead. "Thanks for today."

"Well…sure?" Avery looked a bit baffled. "Any part in particular?"

"Yeah…the part where you didn't try to fix me after I dumped all my shit on you."

"That's because there's nothing to fix. You're not broken, baby. A little fragile, maybe, but not broken."

_Not broken._ House leaned against the apartment door, slightly stunned by Avery's simple statement. Maybe there was something to it. He had been beaten down many times, certainly, and there were times in his life when he _felt_ broken. Now he just felt…not whole. Not yet, possibly not ever. But he sure as hell felt more put together now than he had in years. For now, that was good enough.

He made his way to the bedroom, where Avery was already curled up under a blanket, softly snoring. For once he had no urge to wake her. He simply eased in next to her, wrapping himself around her in their now familiar sleeping position. Before too long, if everything worked out as planned, they would be doing this in _their_ place, instead of this ridiculous switching back and forth. Suddenly, that time couldn't come soon enough.

# # #

House awakened to an empty bed and the smells of something good. The nap had done him good, and his dreams didn't seem to haunt him this time around. He was actually feeling pretty decent, all things considered.

He pushed himself out of bed and made his way down the hallway to the living room. After popping his evening meds, he wandered out to the kitchen to track down the source of the smells. Avery was putting together one of her quick pasta dishes, pouring herself a glass of wine to go with. House grabbed a Coke from the refrigerator, brushing a hand along Avery's waist as he went by.

"Hey, hon." Avery graced him with a quick smile. "How was your nap?"

"Good. No dreams." House cracked open his Coke and leaned against the center island, watching Avery move around his kitchen. She gently nudged him aside to access the salad she was putting together to go with the pasta, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "Shoving the old cripple around. That's nice, babe."

Avery rolled her eyes in response. "You're such a drama queen. Grab yourself a plate and dish up."

Soon they were settled in on the couch with their dinner, House surfing through his TiVo in search of something to watch.

"Just pick something already, baby!"

"Too much to choose from." House grinned at Avery while continuing to push buttons.

"Give me that thing…" Avery quickly snatched the remote from House and found a movie to watch. He harrumphed and put his leg up on the coffee table, sending a small glare her way.

Avery chuckled when she saw the look on House's face. She leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "You're kind of cute when you're pretending to pout."

"And you're kind of cute…whenever." House's face softened into a full smile, one Avery saw rarely. He took her chin in his hand and pressed a kiss to her lips, then tilted his head in thought. "We're kind of settling into this old married couple thing already, aren't we?"

"I suppose we are." Avery settled back into the couch cushions, considering the idea. If someone had told her a year ago that she would be here, with this man, in this place…she would have laughed them off. Ever since she broke things off with Bryan, she had prided herself on being an independent woman, focusing on moving forward in her career, not concerning herself with something as trivial as finding herself a man.

House had changed that in a big way. To be more accurate, Wilson had changed that the night he asked her to check in on his extraordinarily stubborn friend before going home. She couldn't remember exactly what had drawn her to House in the first place, besides those stunning blue eyes. There had been something in his demeanor as they had walked out to the parking garage that first night in silence until he had made some comment about her car. _A Subaru. Only slightly less sensible than a Volvo._, he had snarked as he climbed in, immediately putting the seat all the way back to accommodate his long legs.

Avery had found that snark charming even then. House wasn't smooth, wasn't slick as they sat across from each other in that bar, boldly popping his Vicodin while glancing over to gauge her reaction. Even then he was challenging her, testing her to see if she'd hang around.

Somehow she knew there was more to his story, and that was part of what kept her coming back, under the guise of offering him a ride home on those rainy nights. Over time House had softened up, but hadn't really opened up to her…until now. Avery wondered what else might be hiding in that complex mind of his, waiting to come out.

The clinking of dishes snapped Avery out of her reverie. House was gathering plates and taking them to the kitchen, stacking them up as if he was preparing to wash up. Intrigued, Avery followed him, watching from the entryway as he started running dish water and washing the dishes. There was something about a domestic House that was rather sexy.

She entered the kitchen, standing behind House as he continued working, slipping her hands on either side of his waist, craning her neck to watch him work.

"I didn't think you knew how to do dishes." Avery teased.

"Of course I know _how_. I just don't have much need for it." House drew a hand out of the water, flicking a few drops at Avery. "Now get out of here. Watch your movie or something."

"Fine, I'm leaving." Avery laughed as she wrinkled her nose at the drops of water that hit her face. She turned to leave, and House lightly popped her on the rear as she left, evoking a squeak of surprise from her.

House was relieved that Avery hadn't questioned his motives about his sudden fit of domesticity. The day had left him emotionally wrung out, and he just needed some alone time to process it all. There was something oddly soothing about the whole process, and he soon found it just as calming as time spent at the piano. It brought to mind the time he had pulled this stunt with Stacy, using it to get close to her, to figure her out.

He had no such motive this time. Avery had done such a damn good job taking care of him that it only made sense to return the favor. It was a small thing, to be sure, but it seemed only right. House found himself humming as he worked, and he chuckled to himself. Stacy would surely be greatly amused if she were to see him now.

So what was the difference between then and now? Time, no question, played a large role. He was older, and wiser, he hoped. Perhaps he had unconsciously come to a point where he was ready to give up the solo life. No one really _wanted_ to grow old alone, did they?

House remembered that first night Avery had shown up at his office door. He couldn't recall why he had let her in. Sure, she was physically stunning, but there was more to it than that. Something in the way she had sized him up, with that slight smile, stirred something in him he had thought long buried, if not dead and gone.

They had hit it off so easily, starting with that first conversation at the bar. How long ago that seemed now, light years from where they were now. House could hear Avery in the living room, softly laughing along with whatever movie she was watching. He finished up in the kitchen and limped over to the entryway, simply watching her curled up on the couch, her glasses perched on her nose, completely engrossed in the movie.

Middle age never looked so damn good.

House left the kitchen to join Avery on the couch, his left leg across her lap, his right one bent to touch the floor. Avery curled her fingers around his foot, squeezing affectionately, still into the movie. The simple domesticity of the scene touched House somewhere deep down, a part of him he never knew existed until now. He played with his left ring finger, suddenly impatient to feel the weight of a band on it, a daily reminder of what he hoped would be their everlasting bond.

"Hey." House nudged Avery in the ribs with his foot. "We going to pick a day for this thing or what?"

"Say what?" It took Avery a minute to digest what House was asking her.

"A wedding date. Remember?"

"Oh, right…" Her face turned thoughtful. "A fall wedding could be nice."

House nodded. "I could see that. Maybe at our place, if we're all moved by then."

Avery did some quick mental calculations. "Should be all settled in by, say…September?"

"Works for me. Pick a day."

"What's your hurry all of a sudden?" Avery was amused by this turn of events.

House shrugged. "It just seems like the right time, I guess."

"Okay…I'll dig out a calendar and get back to you, okay?"

"Fair enough." House shifted slightly on the couch and closed his eyes, satisfied that things were moving in the right direction. As long as things kept moving forward, he could deal with whatever came next.

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	40. Lean On Me

**Insert my standard disclaimers here. Don't own them, never have, never will. I only lay claim to the O/Cs that come rambling through.**

# # #

House awakened the next morning to find Avery already gone. He pushed himself out of bed, staggering down the hallway to the kitchen in search of coffee. The light streaming through the windows had him yearning to bust out the motorcycle. Excitement pumped through his veins as he quickly finished his coffee and prepared himself for the day.

He fired up the bike, clipping his cane into the holder and pulling away from the curb. It was a perfect day for a ride, and he decided to take the long way to work. The scenery flew by him as he sailed down the back roads on the way to the hospital, his mind working over his and Avery's future plans.

They were making a date. This wedding thing might actually happen. Damn. House never thought he'd see the day. It filled him with a joy he hadn't felt…ever. Avery loved him, he loved her, life was good, lah-ti-dah. The notion was at odds with his usually cynical world view, and he smiled to himself behind the helmet visor.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't see the deer wander out into the road. House swerved to avoid it, barely keeping his balance on the bike. _Damn things. Got to pay closer attention._ His leg cramped up slightly from the effort, distracting him from the car that was coming around the curve.

The driver never had time to react to the object that found itself in his lane, and they collided with a sickening crunch. His hands shook as he punched in 911, climbing out of the vehicle.

"I need to report an accident…I hit a motorcycle." The driver moved carefully toward the twisted pile of metal and the crumpled body that lay beside it, getting down on the ground to investigate. "Yes, he's still breathing…I've got a pulse. Okay, thanks." He snapped his phone closed, noticing movement from the figure on the ground. "Hey, hey buddy. You've been hurt. Hold still."

The body groaned, turning its head. The driver rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Dammit, you're going to hurt yourself more. Hold. Still." He flipped open the visor on the helmet, and a pair of wild blue eyes flew open at him. "You've had an accident. You need to quit moving around. Where does it hurt?"

The man laughed hollowly. "Hurts all over. What happened? Who are you?" He winced as pain wracked his body.

"David Adams. Your bike crossed in front of my car. Who are you?"

"Doctor…Gregory House." He tried to focus on David, but it was so fuzzy that it hurt his already throbbing head. He felt himself fading away, but he wanted answers.

"Hey, hey, hey. Stay with me, Doc. Help's coming."

# # #

Wilson poked his head in Avery's office around mid-morning. House was running late, even for House, and he hadn't so much as called.

"Matthews? Have you heard from House?"

Avery smiled and chuckled. "Not since I left him snoring in bed this morning. Why?"

"He's not here yet, and no one's heard from him. Just wondering if you knew something we didn't."

"Sorry, no."

Wilson's odd visit left Avery wondering. She called House's cell phone, not really expecting him to pick up.

"Hey, baby. Just wondering where you were. See you when you get here."

Just as she closed her cell phone, her office phone rang. "Good morning. Doctor Avery Matthews speaking."

Her eyes grew round over the course of the phone call. "Thank you. I'll be right down." Her hands were shaking as she replaced the receiver in its cradle. She rose from behind her desk as if she were in a trance, striding down to Wilson's office.

Wilson recognized the stricken look on Avery's face the minute she walked in the door. His mind flashed through a million possibilities, his stomach churning with dread.

"He's had an accident. They just brought him into the ER." Avery voice shook as she spoke. "It looked pretty bad, from what they told me."

"Jesus." Wilson ran his fingers through his hair, his hand coming to rest on the back of his neck. "Was he planning on taking the bike in this morning?"

"I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me if he did." Avery's eyes went wide, and Wilson could see the tears welling up. "No, no…I don't even want to think about it yet."

Wilson rose from behind his desk, striding over to Avery to pull her close. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Calm down."

Avery laughed, a bitter sound Wilson wasn't used to hearing. "You _did_ tell me to get used to this." Before Wilson could answer, Avery's cell phone started ringing. "Matthews."

She listened to the caller, nodding her head. "Okay…Thank you." Avery snapped the phone closed, looking up at Wilson. "He's mostly stable. Now they're sending him to radiology. Guess we'll find out soon enough how bad things are."

Wilson reached out to touch her arm. "Anything I can do?"

Avery shook her head. "I'm going to call his mom, then let the team know what's going on. I'll let you know if I need anything." She squeezed his arm on her way out.

After Avery left, Wilson sank back in his desk chair. He could hardly believe what was happening. It hardly seemed right that life kept smacking House down, just when he was making such great strides forward. All Wilson could do was hope for the best for his friend as he waited for further word.

# # #

House felt himself drifting in and out of consciousness, trying to keep track of everything going on around him. He tried to piece together everything that had happened, but wasn't having much luck. Time seemed to jump around on him, and House couldn't seem to stop it.

He tried to reach out to someone walking by, but the stabbing pain stopped him. The person walking by stopped at the loud snarl that came out of his patient, pulling out a penlight and checking him. House winced at the bright light, trying to move away.

"Hold still, Doctor House. You're in the ER, you've had an accident. Right now you've got a brace around your neck, and we're getting ready to take some X-rays. Do you understand what's going on?"

"Uh-huh…" His body hurt from head to toe, and his brain felt scrambled. There were so many questions that he didn't know where to start. All he wanted to do was curl up and sleep, but he was being held down by forces he didn't understand.

House felt movement again, and he eyes flew open, trying to make sense of his surroundings. A soothing voice drifted to him in a misguided attempt to calm him. It only scared him more, this not knowing. Finally he gave up, allowing his brain to shut down. He would figure this out when he woke up.

# # #

Avery, Wilson, and the team gathered in the conference room, along with Cuddy. The silence was overwhelming.

Finally Taub stood and picked up the markers, scribbling symptoms on the whiteboard. The team had a case come in over the weekend, and they had spent the day before taking a history and poring over the thick file. He turned away, glancing at Foreman and Thirteen, searching for signs of life from either of them. They both still looked shell-shocked at the news of House's accident. Taub was as well, but that didn't mean they still didn't have a job to do.

Taub looked vaguely irritated at the lack of participation from his co-workers. "Look, House isn't here. He won't be here for a…while. Let's get on with this."

Avery couldn't help but smile a little. House would appreciate Taub's attitude if he were here. "Taub's right. Get on with your job. You can handle it without him." She turned to Foreman. "How long have you worked under the man? Have you learned nothing from him?"

She turned to leave, and Wilson addressed the team. "I'll keep you all updated as much as I can. Call me if you need something."

Foreman and Thirteen looked at each other, finally opening the case file and getting down to business. Taub was right, and they knew it. The best thing they could do right now was keep going. It was what House would do, after all.

# # #

David paced around the waiting room of the ER, waiting for word on House's condition. He had managed to keep him mostly conscious while waiting for the ambulance, and all he had talked about was this woman named Avery. David tried to ask him if she was his wife, and House didn't seem to know how to answer. He finally figured out that Avery was his fiancée, but didn't get much more than that before the older man passed out.

A statuesque woman with caramel skin and long dark brown hair came walking down the hallway, accompanied by a slightly taller man with light skin and short brown hair. Both of them wore lab coats and name badges, leading David to assume that they were doctors. He decided to flag them down to see if they knew anything about what was happening in the ER.

"Excuse me." He touched the woman on the arm to attract her attention. She was older than he thought she was at first, but still attractive, especially when she turned those chocolate brown eyes on him. "I was wondering if you could tell me about someone in the ER."

"Are you a family member?" She had a soft, gentle voice, one that could be either seductive or soothing, depending on the situation.

"No, but…I crashed into his motorcycle today, and I stayed with him until the ambulance came. I just wanted to find out how he was doing."

Avery's heart froze, and she and Wilson looked at each other. "Older man, blue eyes?"

The young man nodded, his eyes growing wide. "You know him?"

"Maybe…"

David finally put it together when he glanced at her name badge. This must be the Avery the guy was going on and on about. No wonder. She was gorgeous. He shook his head to clear it and told the story of how House's bike had crossed over into his lane as David came around the curve.

She was shaking when he was done, and the man that stood next to her clasped her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I will be." Avery took David's hand in hers. "Thank you for sticking with him. I'm sure he wasn't easy to deal with."

"Actually, he was okay. Besides, I was just doing what anyone should do." David's voice dropped to a near-whisper. "My dad got hit on his bike. The driver just took off, and it was hours before anyone noticed him. By then it was too late. I didn't want to see that happen to this guy."

Avery quickly wrapped David in a citrus-scented hug. "You're a good man. Thank you so much. Who knows, maybe you saved him."

"I wouldn't go that far. I just wanted to make sure…you know, that he got take care of. That's all."

The double doors to the ER banged open, and one of the doctors looked around, noticing Avery and Wilson. He walked over to Wilson, pulling him aside to talk to him.

Avery and David both watched the discussion, both doctors gesticulating wildly. Finally Wilson finished his conversation and returned to them.

"It's bad, but not as bad as it could be." Wilson started. "He's got a separated shoulder, a couple of broken ribs." He took a deep breath as he continued. "His left leg took the majority of the force. They're setting him up for surgery to put pins in. Looks like he might be wheelchair –bound for…a while."

Avery tilted her head. "No brain damage?"

Wilson shook his head. "Seems like the helmet did its job. He's still in and out, but when he's in, he's reactive."

Avery let out the breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She knew House would handle the physical end of things. He wouldn't be happy, but he would deal. As long as his brain was intact, life would go on for him. "Any chance of seeing him?"

Wilson's mouth quirked upward. "There's a possibility we could convince someone that we're his…brothers and his wife."

Avery chuckled. Wilson's statement wasn't that far off the mark. She and Wilson just happened to be the family House chose for himself, and water definitely ran thicker than blood. Avery turned to David, whose shoulders clearly sagged in relief. "How about you? Care to try to sneak past the sentries?"

David shook his head. "I've really got to go. Thanks for letting me know about him. Tell him to…take care."

Avery and Wilson watched as the young man walked away. It was unlikely that their paths would cross again, but they were grateful that someone had been looking out for the man they both cared for that day. They doubted that David had any idea what a great thing he had done just by being there for House. That simple action might have done more to save him than any of them would ever know.

# # #

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	41. To Find A Friend

**This is the part where I add the standard disclaimers. I don't own anything here but the O/Cs. :)**

# # #

House slowly drifted awake again, trying to orient himself. The beeping of monitors, the mask over his face, and the hushed voices around him told him that he had probably been moved from the ER to the ICU. He felt heavy, almost as if he were underwater. They must have drugged the hell out of him. He barely felt a thing.

A figure leaned over his bed, adjusting IV lines and checking his monitors. It glanced down, noticing House's open eyes.

"Oh good, you're awake!" A cheery voice reached House's ears, but he couldn't place it. "You have company waiting, you know. Your wife and your brother."

_Wife and brother? I don't have…oh._ House smiled a bit to himself. It could only be Avery and Wilson. He nodded to acknowledge that he had heard whoever was speaking to him, and soon two person-shaped blobs were on either side of his bed.

"Hey baby." The first voice sounded choked, as if she had been crying. She leaned over to plant a kiss on his forehead. He tried to lift his hand to her face, but it was held down, and a pain shot through it when he tried anyway. "It's okay. Don't try to move. You separated your shoulder, so you're all bound up.

House nodded in understanding, gesturing toward the oxygen mask. "Baby, you know I can't take that off. You're just going to have to deal for a couple of days." He scowled and rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. Stop being such a pain in the ass."

Avery swore she saw House's eyes crinkle behind the mask. He reached over with his other hand, clumsily patting and squeezing her hand. House felt something on his left leg, and something akin to panic flashed in his eyes.

"Your left leg took a lot of the impact from the accident. They had to put some pins in to hold it together. It'll heal, but it'll take some time."

_That means I'll be in a wheelchair. I don't WANT to be in a goddamn wheelchair. I don't WANT to be a goddamn CRIPPLE._ Rage flowed through his muddled brain. It was just like the goddamn infarction all over again. House could feel the emotion overwhelm him, and he blinked furiously.

Avery watched him for a moment, feeling his grip tighten on her hand. Suddenly she looked up at Wilson on the other side of the bed.

"Wilson, can you leave us alone for a minute, please?" Wilson mutely nodded and left, leaving Avery alone in the room with House. She sat on the edge of the bed, holding House's hand in both of hers. "Okay, it's just us now. You can let go."

House nodded slowly, painfully. _Thank you, babe. It's bad enough falling apart in front of you. I damn sure didn't want to do it in front of Wilson._ He could feel the tears leak out of his eyes and down his face. He tried to focus on Avery's face and failed. Between the drugs and the impact to his head, it was just too much effort.

Avery bent down, brushing her lips on his wet cheek. "I know this hurts, baby. I can't do anything to make it any better." She stroked his hair as she talked to him, and House closed his eyes, feeling oddly comforted by her touch and her words. "I've got to go. Do you want me to send in Wilson?"

House nodded, and Avery left, replaced by Wilson. By now House was able to focus a little bit better, and it looked like Wilson had a pained expression on his face. He leaned on the bed railing, studying House's face.

"You look like hell."

House's eyes crinkled slightly as Wilson ran his hand through his own hair before letting it come to rest on the back of his neck. He sighed and wandered around the room.

"Look…there's nothing I can say here that I haven't said a hundred times before. You know that, I know that. It never gets any easier, you know?" House nodded almost imperceptibly in understanding. "I'm still here for you, though. Nothing's going to change that." Wilson wandered back to House's bedside reaching out to briefly squeeze House's hand. "I do love you…in that completely brotherly, family kind of way. You know."

House looked vaguely amused. _I knew it. Good thing he already knows I love him. Saves me the trouble of saying it._ He squeezed Wilson's hand back, quickly letting go.

Wilson chuckled. "Yeah, I know. What happens in the ICU, stays in the ICU. I'll see you soon."

Soon House was alone again, with only the beeps of the monitors and the whoosh of the oxygen tank for company. He did a quick self-check. Avery had told him about the separated left shoulder. He could feel a dull stabbing in his ribs, at least two broken on his left side.

The left leg was his greatest mystery. It felt like one solid mass, and House figured he must have a full cast on the thing. He tried to remember the accident, but he was having trouble remembering anything past swerving to avoid the deer. He vaguely remembered some kid talking to him afterwards, asking him dumb questions to try to keep him awake. _What the hell was his name? Dan…Don…Dave…David. That was it. David._ Good kid. He stuck with House even though he was scared to death. The kid probably thought he was going to die on him or something. Who knows, maybe if David had left him, he would have died out there. Alone.

The idea scared the shit out of House. It was as if his worst fear could have come true without him realizing it. He wondered if there was a way to track down the kid. For some reason he wanted…no, _needed_ to talk to him.

# # #

David Adams figured he left Doctor House behind once he made sure he survived the trip in the ambulance to Princeton Plainsboro. There was something about the old guy though…okay, maybe he did sort of remind him of his own father. David knew for sure that he couldn't leave him. He thought for sure the cops would press charges on him, for some crazy reason.

He found himself driving back to Princeton later that week from Trenton. The image of those blue eyes, filled with pain and panic, wouldn't leave him alone. If nothing else, maybe he could talk to his lady and get an update. What was her name again? Something different…started with A…Avery. That was it.

He walked into the lobby, stopping at the front desk. "Excuse me, I'm looking for someone. One of the doctors."

The receptionist regarded him suspiciously. Even with increased security measures, one never knew what was going to come through those doors. "Does this doctor have a name?"

"First name's Avery. Not sure about the last. She's Doctor House's fiancée."

"And your name?"

"David Adams. I don't know if she'll remember me."

"I'll page her. Hold on."

Five minutes later Avery was striding through the lobby, exuding grace and elegance. "David! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" She gave him a quick hug. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, Doctor…"

"Matthews. You can call me Avery."

"Fine…Avery." He shook his head. "Sorry, that just sounds strange. Is it okay if I call you Doctor Matthews?"

Avery smiled warmly. "Of course. So what brings you back here?"

David twisted his fingers nervously. "I kind of wanted to see how Doctor House was doing."

"He's…better. He's got his own room now. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so glad to get out of ICU." Avery's eyes lit up with an idea. "I was just about to take him some lunch. Would you care to join me?"

"Sure, if he wants to see me."

"Oh, I'm sure he won't mind. He gets a bit testy if he's left alone too long. It gives him too much time to think, you know?"

"Right. In that case…I'll join you."

The door to House's room slid open, revealing Avery and some lunch. House opened his eyes, a small smile gracing his rough face.

"Ah…must be time for my sponge bath."

"Nice try, baby." Avery planted a kiss on his cheek. "I come bearing food…and some extra company, if you're up for it."

David hung at the entrance, not sure if he would be allowed access to House's room. House noticed him, and waved him in. "Come on in, kid. Nice to see you now that I'm fully conscious."

David quietly ducked in, taking a chair at the end of the bed. Avery set House's container on the table and turned to leave.

"I've got a department head meeting at 12:30. I need to wrap a few things up before I go. You two have a nice visit." Avery gave House a kiss on the lips, brushing a hand along his forehead. "Nice seeing you again, David."

After she left, House stared at the door. "You know, I do believe she set you up."

David chuckled. "Looks like she set us both up."

"Well…at least we got lunch out of the deal, right?"

"Speak for yourself. I paid for my own."

The two men sat in companiable silence as they ate, and finally House set his container aside to regard David coolly. "So what really brings you back here? I'm just a stranger to you, after all."

"Don't know exactly." David shrugged. "I guess you kind of remind me of my dad. He died in a motorcycle accident when I was about ten."

"I don't know how to tell you this, kid…but I'm no one's dad. And I'm definitely not father figure material. You might as well get that idea out of your head right now."

"Not looking for one. My mom remarried a couple of years later. My stepdad's a great guy…did a pretty good job with me."

"You got lucky."

"Yeah, I know." David studied the older man's face. It was rough, and David figured him to be in his early 50s. The bright blue eyes dominated his face, observing everything, missing nothing. Even if he had wanted to lie to House, it would have been impossible.

"So…now you've seen me. I'm alive, I'm going to be fine…eventually. You're free to go."

"I'll go only if you really want me to."

House leaned against the pillows, closing his eyes. "Nah, you can stay. I can't say I'll be very exciting company." He heard a chair scrape across the floor as David dragged it over to House's bedside. He opened his eyes, studying the young man that now sat next to him.

David had shaggy blond hair and green eyes, with just a hint of a scraggly beard. He could have passed for a younger, scruffier Chase. His hands moved constantly, and House thought he could see some calluses on the kid's fingertips. House nodded his head toward David's fingers. "You play?"

David looked startled, then looked down at his hands. "Yeah. Guitar mostly, but I play a little banjo and mandolin, too."

"Ah, a bluegrass man. Nice."

"Not just bluegrass. I kind of play a little of everything. What about you?"

"Piano and guitar. I took piano lessons as a kid, picked up guitar later on, played in bands when I was in college. It was a good way to make some beer money and pick up hot college girls."

David's face split in a wide grin. "Nice to know some things don't change."

The two spent the afternoon talking about music, David's college life, and David's uncertain future plans.

"So you just always knew you wanted to be a doctor?"

"Close. I knew when I was about twelve."

"Wish I could figure it out."

House chuckled. "Wish I had some advice for you. I don't. I won't tell you to 'follow your bliss' or any bullshit like that. You'll figure it out eventually, though."

David looked down at his hands again, flexing the fingers. "I kind of wouldn't mind taking a crack at music."

House gave him a sharp look. "Music isn't something you do half-heartedly. You give it everything or you don't bother. Same as anything else you have a passion for."

David nodded thoughtfully. "My mom and stepdad aren't exactly thrilled with the idea. She's already pissed that I threw away a very expensive education to play around in clubs."

"My dad was pissed when I went into medicine." David gave him an incredulous look. "Yeah, I know. He was a lifetime Marine, and all but demanded I follow in his footsteps. I never followed _anything_ that man said." House shook his head. "Anyway…this isn't about me. If you're serious about the music thing, you've got to get the hell out of Jersey. Even Springsteen left to make it big."

David hated to admit it, but House kind of had a point. "Yeah, you're probably right."

One of the afternoon nurses came in to check on him. "Got to throw you out, kid. Personal business."

"Right." David held out a hand for House to shake. "It was good to see you. Glad you're doing better."

"Thanks. It was good to see someone who isn't from the hospital." House looked thoughtful. "Next time…bring your guitar. We'll see if you're any good before you bail out of Jersey."

"Okay. Sometime tomorrow okay?"

House chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere. Come in at lunch time with Avery. Make sure she picks up the tab this time."

David grinned. "Will do. See you tomorrow, Doctor House."

"You can call me House. Or Greg. Either's good for me."

"Okay…see you around, House."

House leaned back on the pillow while the nurse did her routine on him. He was glad David had stopped in. There was something about the kid that he liked, even if he couldn't quite put his finger on it. If nothing else, it was new company, and if he was any good on that guitar of his, he'd finally have some decent music in this joint. It sounded like a win-win to House.

# # #

**You know what to do here. Read and review. **


	42. A Better Place To Be

**This is where I insert the disclaimers. Don't own the House kids, just the ever growing cast of O/Cs. :D**

# # #

Avery slipped into House's room before she left for the night. Taub was sitting at his bedside, and they appeared to be perusing a case file. She leaned on the doorframe, watching the two of them kick around diagnosis ideas.

"I've should have known something was up when you asked me for his room information."

Taub turned at the sound of Avery's voice, looking a little guilty under his professional mask. House merely dipped his chin, snickering. "Ooh…you're busted."

"You're no better, baby." Avery circled around to the other side of House's bed, dropping a kiss on House's forehead. "You're supposed to be resting, not working."

"But I'm _bored_, Mom." House looked up at her beseechingly. "I need stuff to do."

Taub closed the case file. "I think I'll head back up to the office." He nodded to both House and Avery and quietly slipped out of the room. House glared at Avery.

"Just when I was starting to have some fun…you always have to ruin it."

"Oh, please." Avery regarded him skeptically. "I know you're getting antsy, okay? I'd like to see you get out of here, too."

House shrugged indifferently, even though Avery knew he didn't feel that way. She decided a change of subject was in order as she took the chair previously occupied by Taub. "Hey, our offer for the condo got accepted. I've got the packet to fill out for the mortgage."

House looked a little baffled. "You still want to move forward with that?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Uh…hello, have you even looked at me lately?"

Avery rolled her eyes. "These things move so slowly that it'll be most of the summer before we're even ready to move. By then you should be recovered enough to make the move."

"And if I'm not?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we get to it. This might even be a better move. No stairs to deal with."

House looked thoughtful. "There is something to that."

"Great. I'll drop off the packet to you tomorrow. It'll definitely keep you busy for a while."

"That's _not_ what I had in mind."

"If you can do consults on cases, filling out a mortgage application should be no problem." Avery pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm heading home. See you in the morning."

"Wait a minute." House grabbed Avery's hand before she rose, lowering his eyes as he played with the ring on her finger. "Are we still…you know…on?"

"Baby…" Avery gently stroked House's cheek with her other hand. "We are absolutely still on. Things are delayed, not cancelled."

"Just checking. Things…can change." House couldn't help but think of his time with Stacy post-infarction.

"I won't deny that things have changed." Avery squeezed House's hand. "But things _always_ change. That's just life, baby. As long as we can roll with it, though, we're going to be all right, okay?"

House wanted to believe her, despite his own doubts. "Okay." He fixed her with a blue-eyed stare. "You've been here long enough. Go home. I'll see you in the morning."

"Anything you need before I go?"

House pointed at his cheek. Avery laughed and planted a kiss on his scruffy cheek. "Okay, anything else?"

"Nope. I'm good now. Love you."

"Love you, too."

House watched Avery slip out the door, feeling a little more secure about things between he and Avery. Things could still change for the worse, but that seemed less likely as time went on. He actually sort of looked forward to filling out that stupid mortgage application tomorrow.

# # #

House awakened the next morning to a ringing phone. He fumbled around until he found the receiver and shoved it up to his ear.

"Yeah." His voice was gravelly as he blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light.

"Greg? Is that you?"

House rolled his eyes and groaned internally. "Hi, Mom."

"Avery told me all about your accident. Did that young man really come to visit you?"

_Jesus, did Avery tell her everything?! I've got to have a word with that woman._ "It's fine, Mom. It wasn't the kid's fault. I swerved to avoid a deer and lost control of the bike. It's not that big a deal."

House could hear Blythe sigh on the other end of the phone. "At any rate…I'm coming up this weekend. Now I'll finally get to meet Avery face to face. She sounds like a lovely woman, Greg."

"She is, Mom." House smiled to himself at the thought. "I think you're really going to like her."

"I can't wait. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Mom."

He hung up and leaned back against the pillows. House knew this would happen sooner or later, but he was really hoping for later. The last thing he wanted was his mother fussing over him. In his opinion, her license for that expired years ago, back when his father…

Avery entered the room, interrupting his train of thought. "Good morning, baby. I brought coffee…and the mortgage application."

"Morning, babe. Thanks, and…" He made a face at the paperwork that lay on his tray table. "…thanks. Oh, guess who's coming to town?"

"Your mom? I know. I spoke to her last night." Avery took the seat next to the bed. "I was thinking she could stay at my place. I'll stay at yours."

House looked annoyed. "How long is she planning on staying?"

"Relax...she's just staying the weekend. Just long enough to almost wear out her welcome."

"Great. You two have fun."

Avery glared at House. "Look…I know you two have a contentious relationship. Right now, though…you need to just get over it. She needs to see you. She needs to know that you're okay. Let whatever it is go."

House just shook his head. "The thing between me and my mom…it's complicated. Don't get involved, okay?"

"Fine." Avery frowned. "I've got to get to work. See you for lunch?"

"Of course. Say hi to the kids for me."

"I will. No consults today, okay?"

"No promises."

Avery sighed, leaning over for a small kiss. "You are a mess. See you later."

# # #

After surfing through the hospital's limited cable selection, House finally got down to working on the mortgage application. Just as he got the first page filled in, Chase slipped into his room, with a physical therapist right behind him. House recognized him from his last round of PT, but he was a bit disappointed it wasn't the woman he called 'Helga'. She was tough, and kind of hot. This guy just looked tough.

"Morning, House. Time to check on that shoulder."

"What the hell are you doing down here?" House growled. "Shouldn't you be slicing and dicing somewhere?"

Chase regarded House with a mildly amused expression. "I was the only one willing to deal with you. Rumor has it you're not exactly the easiest patient on the floor."

House rolled his eyes as Chase and the PT gently raised him to a sitting position, and Chase started removing the sling, explaining to the PT the nature of House's injury and the course of treatment so far. The PT started gently pressing around the area, causing House to wince.

"Owww…can't you at least introduce yourself before you start pawing me?!"

The PT raised an eyebrow, and Chase shrugged. "Can't say I didn't warn you, mate."

The PT exhaled loudly, then moved so he faced House. "Name's Roger. I'll be working the hell out of you starting next week. Looks like you're healing up pretty well."

House took the hand Roger offered. Suddenly he felt very small in comparison. He nodded, then waved Roger back to his poking and prodding.

After he was done there, he gestured to Chase. "All right, House. We'll get you down to Radiology later to check on that leg. You're doing better than I thought you would."

House waved at Chase dismissively. "Don't you know? I've got magical healing powers. Any day I'll be walking out of here."

"Right. Roger will be back later to give you a basic outline for your rehab. Good seeing you, House."

Roger got House back in his sling, adjusting as he went. He stepped back from the bed, crossing his massive arms across his chest, regarding House coolly. "Doctor Chase warned me about you, but you seem like an alright guy. I've got a good feeling about us, Doctor House."

House rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you'll have a great time busting my ass."

Roger laughed, a wide grin splitting his face. "I'll bust your ass, but I'll get the job done, too. Doctor Chase said you were already working on that other leg? What's the story there?"

House explained the whole story of the infarction, the Vicodin, the change in pain management, and the subsequent PT. Roger just stood there like a stone, taking in everything.

"So what's her name?"

"What?"

Roger chuckled again. "Usually when a man tells a story like that, there's some woman involved. So who is she?"

"None of your damn business. It's not important."

"Obviously she's important to you. That goes a long way."

House was amused. Beneath Roger's tough exterior lay the heart of a romantic. It was almost touching, in an odd way. Roger scribbled a few notes before nodding to House as he left. This round of PT was going to be interesting, to say the least.

# # #

The parade of visitors seemed to continue throughout the day, and House had finally had almost enough when David showed up in the early evening. He was one of the few that knocked on the glass door before entering, and it gave House the sensation of being in a fishbowl. House's eyes popped open at the sound and he waved David in, noticing the guitar case the young man carried in with him.

House's eyes lit up at the sight. "How the hell did you get that past security?"

"I told them it was for 'music therapy'. I can't believe they bought it, either." David set the case down across the arms of a chair and flipped it open, pulling out the old Martin and strapping it around his neck.

House let out a low whistle at the sight. "That's a thing of beauty, kid. How did you come up with something like that?"

David grinned as he tuned up. "Inherited it from my grandfather. He's the one that taught me to play on this very guitar."

"Well…let's hear what you've got."

Suddenly David felt more nervous playing for one guy than he did when he played for hundreds. He wasn't quite sure what to open with. David finally settled on an old song his dad used to play.

"_It was raining hard in Frisco, I needed one more fare to make my night…"_

While Harry Chapin was never one of House's favorites, David did a hell of a job with it. "You got something a little more upbeat?"

David grinned, busting out a little John Mayer. _"Welcome to the real world, she said to me condescendingly…"_

House chuckled and rolled his eyes. It was the sort of song he would have been into back in the day. David looked a little embarrassed, but chuckled along with House. "Any more requests, Doc?"

"How about some of that bluegrass stuff?"

"You got it." He retuned, moving the capo into position. "_I want to sing my own song, that's all…cried the bird and flew into the wall…there must be some way, he cried…and his desperation echoed down the hall…just another bird in a house…dying to get out…"_

The song affected House deeply, and he leaned against the pillows, closing his eyes. David caught the hitch in House's breath and stopped playing.

House's eyes flew open, and they looked a little shiny to David. He felt the lump rise in his own throat as he stood by the bed, shifting uncomfortably. David had the distinct feeling that House wasn't a guy that readily showed emotion, and he waited for the moment to pass.

"What did you stop for?" House's voice sounded rough to his own ears. "That's good stuff."

_What am I supposed to say here? 'Sorry, Doc, didn't mean to make you cry'? He'd knock me on my ass if I said that._ "I don't know…I didn't think you liked it that much."

House rolled his eyes. "I did. You're good. Keep playing."

David nodded and picked up the song where he left off, and continued playing a few more House requests. Finally House waved David over.

"Help me out of this damn thing." House gestured to the sling that held his arm to his chest.

"You sure that's a good idea?" David looked skeptical even as he set down the guitar and moved to the other side of the bed.

"PT guy told me to start moving it around a little. It won't kill me to play a couple songs…if you don't mind."

"Not at all. It's a guitar, not a museum piece." David helped House out of the sling, then moved back around to hand House the guitar. House shifted until he found a relatively comfortable position, then started tuning.

Avery was just about to slip into the room when she saw House strumming on the guitar and chatting with David. She stopped at the entrance instead, waiting to see what would come out.

House caught Avery's movement out of the corner of his eye, and a small smirk crossed his face as he saw her lean against the door frame, tilting her head and smiling sweetly.

He started playing, and the words started flowing out of him. _"Give me more lovin' than I've ever had, make it all better when I'm feeling bad, tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not…" _

House could see the tears well up in Avery's eyes from his bed. He finished the song and handed the guitar back to David. "Got to kick you out again, kid."

David turned to see Avery standing in the doorway, eyes shining like House's did earlier. He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. 'Personal business'?"

"Damn straight. Now go play your club thing."

"See you tomorrow, Doc." David packed up the guitar and nodded to Avery on the way out.

Avery entered and helped House back into his sling. "You know you're not really supposed to take this thing off, right?"

"Yes, babe, I know. If you saw that guitar you'd understand. That thing's a work of art."

Avery's mouth quirked upward in amusement as she finished. She leaned in for a long, sweet kiss.

"Don't start something you can't finish, woman. I'm not that far gone."

"You're in no condition anyway. Crazy man."

The smile slowly left House's face, replaced by a more serious expression as he reached up to stroke Avery's face. "I meant all that, you know."

"You think I don't know that by now?" Avery placed her hand over House's.

House shrugged. "I just wanted you to know." He patted the right side of the mattress. "Climb in. I think there's a little room."

Avery toed off her shoes and awkwardly climbed in next to House. "Not like home, but better than nothing." She lightly kissed him on the cheek. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, babe." House's voice was soft as he caressed her arm.

They curled up together, idly chatting as if they were in either of their beds, hoping soon that they would return to doing this in their own bed, in their own place. For now, this was good enough.

# # #

**Music Credits:**

**_Taxi, _Harry Chapin  
_No Such Thing, _John Mayer  
_Bird In A House, _Railroad Earth  
_1, 2, 3, 4, _Plain White T's**

**Thanks for your continued support on this thing. Keep reading and reviewing! :)**


	43. Long Way To Go

**You know the deal. I don't own them, and therefore don't make a dime off this. Still having fun with them and the O/Cs though.**

**# # #**

Blythe House could hear laughter carrying out into the hallway as she and Wilson approached her son's room. She recognized House's laugh immediately, a low rumbling sound that she hadn't heard in many years. The woman's laugh was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

"That would be Matthews…Avery." Wilson answered Blythe's unasked question. "You haven't met her yet, have you?"

"I've spoken to her on the phone. She sounds like a lovely woman."

Wilson chuckled. "She is, and she doesn't take any guff from House. They're a good match."

The pair approached House's room, sliding back the door. Avery was sitting on the edge of the bed, and the two were having a good laugh over something. The smile on House's face didn't soften the shock of his condition for Blythe.

The sight of House's elevated left leg tore at Blythe's heart. Avery had told her about the accident and the resulting injuries, but seeing the effects in person was far different. She knew now that her son was in for a lengthy recovery, far longer than he would have ever let on.

Avery rose from the bed to meet Blythe, extending a hand in greeting. She towered over Blythe, a graceful, elegant woman with a warm smile. "Mrs. House. So glad to finally meet you in person."

House shifted so that he was as close to sitting up as he could be. "Mom, Avery. Avery, Mom. There. My part's done."

Avery flashed House a sharp look, then turned back to Blythe. "Don't mind him. _I'm _glad you're here." She squeezed the older woman's hand tightly. "I'll be in my office when you're ready to get settled. Just give me a call." Avery turned back to House, leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek, then whispering in his ear. "Be nice. Just let her worry about you for a change. It won't kill either of you."

"No promises." House grumbled as Avery turned his head to glare at Wilson. "Are you here to mediate?"

"Noooo…" Wilson crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm merely serving as an escort. I'll come back down later." He patted Blythe's shoulder on the way out. "Good luck." He muttered as he slipped through the doors.

Avery was waiting when Wilson emerged, arms folded over her chest, brows knitted, head tilted as if she were trying to solve one of House's medical puzzles. Wilson smirked slightly in amusement at the sight. If there were any doubt that House was starting to rub off on her, it was erased now.

"Why does he have to be so goddamned difficult?! If it were me…I'd _want_ my mother here. Hell, I _did_ have her here."

"There's a lot of…baggage on both their parts. Let's just leave it at that. It's a miracle he hasn't thrown her out yet."

"Somehow I don't think that's going to happen." Avery nudged Wilson and pointed through the glass wall of the room. House and his mother were clearly having some sort of heartfelt conversation, both of them gesturing wildly. Suddenly Blythe leaned in to hug her son, and he slowly, almost reluctantly, reached out to return the hug. "I've got things to do. I'm sure you do too, Wilson."

Wilson did feel like an invader, watching the interaction between House and Blythe. "Right. Of course."

"You should go see him, too. Break the pattern and stop being such a stranger. This wasn't his fault, you know."

"I know." Wilson's shoulders sank as he exhaled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just…I hate seeing him like this. How much more can he take before he breaks completely? Next thing you know I'll be going to his funeral."

"Oh, Wilson." Avery placed a hand on his back, between his shoulder blades. "He's tougher than you think. He's not made of glass, you know."

"Maybe not physically…"

"Not mentally either. Give the man some credit, will you?" Avery smiled warmly at him as they stepped onto the elevator. "Just go see him, okay? Hang out with him. Let him know things haven't changed. That's all he really needs from you."

As much as Wilson hated to admit it, Avery was right. House wasn't the same train wreck of a human being that he had been a few short years before. He had gotten so used to being House's keeper that he had a hard time seeing things any other way. Leave it to Avery to state such a simple truth.

"You know, it was a great day when this hospital decided to hire you."

Avery laughed. "And why is that?"

"Well…if they hadn't hired you, you wouldn't have been working late on particular rainy night, and I wouldn't have been able to make sure my cranky old bastard of a best friend got home safely. If you hadn't done that, you two wouldn't have gotten together, and he would have continued to be a cranky old bastard. Which means…" Wilson's voice dropped a little as they stepped off the elevator and scanned in their badges. "…I don't know what it means. I just know that I'm damned grateful you're a part of his life. House swears he doesn't do happy but…believe me, he's happy."

"That's good to know. It'll be a lot better once he's out of here, but…" Avery sighed. "Just promise you'll go see him. Why don't you take him lunch today? Maybe you'll get to see David, too."

"David?" Wilson squinted, trying to remember why the name sounded familiar.

"You know…the kid that crashed into Greg?"

Wilson raised his eyebrows in surprise. "He's coming to visit him? Regularly?"

"Nearly every day at lunch time. Apparently he plays a mean guitar. Personally, I think Greg sees a bit of himself in David."

"It's still a good thing, right? I mean, House is branching out, making connections. That's good."

"It is." Avery patted Wilson's shoulder. "I've got to go. I promised I'd check in on the team."

"See you later." Wilson was a bit stunned as he unlocked his office and stepped inside. He still couldn't quite believe what Avery had told him. House was actively forming a bond with another human being. It was fantastic. Lunch without House had been a bit boring. Perhaps a visit would be good for both of them.

# # #

House closed his eyes after his mother left. The visit was good, but emotionally draining. They had started with idle chat, and she fussed over him in a way that she hadn't done since he was a child. He rolled his eyes, but didn't mind it too much. She caught him up on the inconsequential family gossip, both of them deliberately avoiding talking about his father. The time for that had long passed, and what was done was done on that front. There was just no point in rehashing things. All the talking in the world wouldn't change anything anyway, so why bother?

After an hour or so, Blythe finally rose to leave, patting House's hand as she did so, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "I need to talk to Avery. I'll see you again soon."

"Good to see you, Mom." House wrapped his fingers around his mother's small hand. "I've been meaning to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"You know when I gave that eulogy at…Dad's funeral?" God, it was hard for House to even call him that.

Oh yes, Blythe remembered. Everyone remembered. "Of course I do."

House twisted his mouth and exhaled loudly. "I…shouldn't have said that. Not in public. I never meant to disrespect you."

Blythe reached out to absentmindedly brush non-existent bangs out of House's eyes. "It was a difficult time. None of us were in our right minds, I don't think. You were just…being you."

"That's a poor excuse and we both know it." House shook his head.

"Are you apologizing for being who you are?" He shrugged a bit, and Blythe sighed. "I know I…accepted a lot of things that I shouldn't have. No, it doesn't change anything. I know that. But you're my son, and I love you no matter what. I'm not going to forgive you because…there's really nothing to forgive." She released his hand and walked to the door. "I'll be back later. We'll talk more then."

Of course they would. For once House didn't dread a return visit from his mother. By the end of the weekend he might be ready to send her home, but for now…he didn't mind the smothering.

# # #

"Okay, Doc. Naptime's over." A deep male voice woke House from the first bit of decent sleep he'd had since he'd arrived. He opened his eyes to see Roger, his PT, bent over his bed, grinning slightly. "We're going to get you up and moving a little today."

House rolled his eyes in response, but in reality, he was tired of being bed-bound. A change of scenery wouldn't be such a bad thing, even if it was just a different view of the room.

Chase, Roger, and a pair of nurses created a flurry of activity as they prepared House to move from the bed to the wheelchair that Roger had parked next to the bed. Finally he was released, and he reluctantly allowed Roger to assist him in sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. House was surprised at the sudden head rush, chiding himself for it.

"Easy does it, Doc. Take your time."

"I _know_. This isn't exactly my first rodeo, okay?" House snapped as he waited for the dizziness to pass. His shoulder and both his legs still hurt, and were stiff after the prolonged inactivity. Roger angled himself so that he could support House's mostly uninjured right side to guide him into the wheelchair. The man was surprisingly graceful and smooth for his size, and took great care not to make the transition any harder than necessary. He took the blanket off the bed, handing one corner to House and taking the other to spread it out over his lap.

"Okay, first stop, Radiology. I want to see how your leg is progressing." Chase explained. "After that, I'll hand you over to Roger, all right?"

House nodded, and the unlikely trio headed out of the room and down the hall. Roger pushed House as Chase followed alongside. Soon they arrived and the tech set up, taking x-rays from every angle she could. When she was done, Chase took a chance and touched House's shoulder.

"I'll bring the films to you as soon as I get them. You and Roger have fun, okay?"

"Right. I'm sure that's what they told the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, too." House muttered under his breath as Roger chuckled in response.

"Quit giving that poor boy such a hard time. What did he ever do to you?"

"Don't get me started. It would take all day."

They wheeled into the PT room and set up in a corner to start a course of simple range of motion exercises to warm up House's still healing shoulder. House chuckled as Roger worked.

"What's so funny, Doc?"

"Nothing, really. It just seems like I just got done going through this already. Isn't there an accelerated class for this?"

"Doesn't matter. This one's a little different. You did a lot more damage to your shoulder this time. You're just going to have to take your time, just like everyone else." House glared at him, but continued to work. "Don't give me that look. You don't scare me."

"Wasn't trying to."

"Good. Glad we understand each other. You want the sling back on?"

House's shoulder was feeling tender after the exercises. "Couldn't hurt, I guess."

Roger helped House back into the sling, and he pushed House back to his room. "So…I saw your lady today. No wonder you're in such a hurry to get the hell out of here. That is one fine sister you've got there."

A slight grin spread across House's face. "Damn right. I've got to get out of here so I can marry her already. Don't want to keep her waiting, you know."

"I knew it. Told you there's always a woman in those stories somewhere." Roger nodded toward House's bed. "You want some help getting back in?"

"Nah, I'm good. Think I'll just hang out a while."

"Okay. Nurses should be doing their rounds before too long." Roger extended his hand to House. "Good work today. We're going to get along just fine."

House accepted the hand and shook firmly. "See you around, Roger."

After Roger left, House leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. Holy hell, just those few range of motion exercises had left him more sore than he'd expected. Now he kind of wished he had let Roger help him back into bed. He did some quick mental calculations, but couldn't see a way to get out of the chair and into his bed.

This was the worst part of the whole thing. House could handle the pain, could handle the inevitable poking and prodding, and had even sort of accepted the whole lack of privacy thing. The helpless feeling, on the other hand, didn't sit so well with him.

Irritated, House racked his brain to come up with a way to get back into that bed. Pushing forward with his right foot, he maneuvered the wheelchair until it was at the angle that Roger had it earlier.

Now came the tricky part. Somehow he had to turn himself until could pull even with the bed. He carefully balanced himself on his shaky right leg, propping himself up with his right arm, inching slowly until he could turn around and sit on the edge of the bed.

Christ. That alone was exhausting. _This SUCKS._ Somehow he managed to swing both legs into the bed, awkwardly dragging the sheet over himself. He huffed in frustration at his weakness. Well, what the hell did he expect, anyway? He was no Superman, he knew that. House just figured he should be able to get into a damned bed by himself.

Annoyed, he popped his ear buds in and cranked up the I Pod that Avery had graciously brought for him. Scrolling through the playlists, he found one that he didn't put on there. Intrigued, he cued it up and hit the play button.

The opening strains of Van Morrison's 'Brown Eyed Girl' floated into his ears, and he grinned, letting the music carry him away from his frustrations. He might be barely able to get into a damned bed, but he had great music, handpicked for him by the woman he loved. The day was definitely looking up.

# # #

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	44. Someone To Watch Over Me

**Same old disclaimer apply. I don't own anything related to House. I'm not making any money off this. It's all for my own entertainment (and hopefully others).**

# # #

The next two weeks flew by in a flurry of activity as House prepared to make the transition from the hospital to home. He continued to make progress on his shoulder, and healed enough to drive his own wheelchair around the floor, much to the chagrin of the nurses he occasionally harassed.

Chase entered with a pile of paperwork on a clipboard. A slow smile crossed House's face as he walked in.

"Those had better be what I think they are…"

"Yes, House. They're your discharge papers. There are a few things we need to arrange, though."

House rolled his eyes. "Of course. Isn't there always some catch?"

Chase pulled up a chair and sat down next to House, a serious expression on his face. "You know…you can't be home alone yet. You need to arrange for some assistance before I can release you."

_Dammit._ House didn't want to admit it, but he knew Chase was right. There was no way in hell he would be able to manage much of anything on his own, and he didn't want to lean too hard on Avery. "Fine. I'll work something out. Give me the papers."

Chase shook his head, holding the clipboard out of House's reach. "Not until you give me your arrangements. I'll come back later this afternoon."

Avery walked in, David right behind her, as Chase and House were still debating. "Hey, baby." She planted a kiss on House's forehead. "What's going on?"

"Chase won't let me out of here." House growled and glared at Chase.

Chase rolled his eyes in exasperation. "He needs at-home care or a rehab facility. As soon as he makes those arrangements, I will _gladly _let him out of here."

Avery laughed softly. She could imagine exactly how the conversation had gone down. "We'll work it out, Chase. Don't worry."

Chase left, leaving David and Avery in the room with House. David set his guitar case on the chair, opening it up and strapping it around his neck. He started tuning, the wheels turning in his head, listening to Avery and House discuss home care options, with House rejecting nearly every possibility.

"I am _not_ going to a goddamn nursing home."

"Oh for God's sake, Greg. It's not a nursing home. It's a rehab center, and a damn good one."

"Same thing. I'm not going."

Avery paused, irritated by House's stubbornness. "You know, I could always call your mom. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to come handle you for a while."

A look of horror crossed House's face, followed by a deathly glare. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

"Uh…can I say something?" David ventured.

Avery's and House's heads turned as one, both sets of eyes boring into David. All of a sudden he was sorry he had said anything.

He took a deep breath and continued. "Doctor Matthews, could you give the Doc and I a minute?"

"I suppose." Avery turned and started to walk out of the room, brushing by David on the way through. "Don't let him talk you into anything crazy."

"Yes, ma'am."

Avery left, and David moved over to House's bedside, tuning the guitar. "So, Doc, any requests today?"

"How about 'Jailhouse Rock'? Maybe 'Jail Break'?" House grumbled.

David chuckled. "Okay, you're pissed. I get it. Now get over it." He strummed a few notes, ignoring the raised eyebrows from the older man. "Besides, I might have an idea that would let you go home. Interested in hearing it?"

House was curious, but cautious. "Maybe…"

"Okay." David set the guitar aside, looking House straight in the eye. "I'm not doing a whole lot right now, you know? I've got a little part time job that I could take or leave, and I'm doing a few club gigs with my band in the evenings. Theoretically…I could…hang out with you during the day, if you wanted."

House looked thoughtful. It definitely had possibilities. He nodded his head out toward Avery. "You'd have to get that past the Aussie and the warden, but I could see that working."

David grinned. "Cool. I'll go talk to the warden."

As he left the room, House whispered loudly, "Don't let her break you down. Fight the power."

David couldn't help but laugh. He knew this would be a tough sell, but he was pretty sure that Doctor Matthews would see the rationale behind David's idea. He hoped so, anyway.

# # #

"I don't know, David…it seems like a lot for you to take on. Are you sure you'd be up for it?" Avery had a concerned expression on her face.

David nodded. "I used to help my mom take care of my grandfather. It's a lot of work, I already know that."

"He's not the easiest man to deal with, even under the best of circumstances. And he's got one hell of a temper." Chase was skeptical, and couldn't help but wonder how much of this harebrained idea belonged to House.

"I'm well aware of that. He's stubborn, temperamental, doesn't express his feelings readily, and doesn't accept help, for the most part." David shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing back and forth between the two doctors. "The thing is…he trusts me. We get along. And it would beat the hell out of a rehab place."

Avery and Chase looked at each other. David definitely had a point, and House would definitely be happier recovering at home. He and the young man had developed a rapport over the last few weeks. Perhaps it could work out after all.

Avery spoke first. "Well…we would still have to have a nurse come in a couple of times a day to handle the medical end of things. You're definitely not qualified to do that. As for everything else…"

"You'd have to make sure he gets to his appointments. _All_ of them." Chase broke in, fixing David with a pointed look. "He will need assistance, even if he thinks he doesn't. Don't let him run over you."

"Don't worry, I won't. I can be pretty damned stubborn myself."

"Then I suppose it's settled. We'll work up a more detailed plan by the end of the week." Avery touched David on the shoulder. "I don't know why you're doing this, but it's very kind of you."

"I'll make House's discharge arrangements and start setting up his outpatient PT." Chase extended a hand to David. "Godspeed, David. You're either brave or crazy. I'm not sure which."

David chuckled. He wasn't sure himself why he had extended the offer. He supposed he didn't want to break the bond that the two of them had formed, and this was as good a way as any to keep it going. "Probably a little of both, Doctor Chase. I guess I'm still a little surprised that you and Doctor Matthews agreed to it."

Chase shrugged. "We both wanted him to go home if he could. Obviously he'd be a hell of a lot happier there. We just didn't see a workable plan."

"Well, we'll see what happens. Thanks for working with me, both of you."

"Thank you for putting yourself out there." Avery gave David a brief hug. "It'll be good for him to have you around."

The three of them went back into House's room, and House wore an expression that was equal parts curiosity and hope. Chase spoke first.

"We've decided that it would be in your best interest to allow David to assume some responsibility for your at-home care. There will be stipulations, of course, but…" Chase shrugged. "Looks like you should be going home by the end of the week. Congratulations."

"About goddamn time." House grumbled, even as he looked vaguely pleased. "Now, about this thing on my leg. When can I cut that loose?"

"At least another three weeks. We've been over that. Even when the cast comes off…you've got a long road ahead of you, House. You might not ever be normal, even for you."

"What the hell ever." House grumbled softly, mostly to himself. "Come see me when you've got better news for me."

The room was silent while David packed up his guitar. "Sorry to cut things short, but I've got some arrangements to make now that I'll be spending more time here. See you guys again soon."

Soon Avery and House were alone in the room. Avery didn't quite know what to say to House after Chase's parting comment. She sat down on the bed, taking his hand in both of hers.

"That's pretty amazing, what David's doing, don't you think?"

House slowly nodded, still looking preoccupied. "Yeah, pretty damn cool. He's a good kid. Kind of makes you wonder why he wants to hang out with me."

"Well, you _are_ a rather interesting guy…and you're passionate about music…shall I go on?"

"There's got to be more to it, babe." House shook his head, baffled. "Maybe he's still feeling some guilt. Maybe he's doing this to atone for it or something. If that's the case, I don't want him to do it."

"I'm very sure that's not it. If it were out of guilt, he wouldn't keep coming back."

"Maybe he's related to Wilson."

Avery merely rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're funny today. Why can't you just accept that people just want to do something good for you?"

"Because generally, people _don't_ want to." House's eyes flashed with anger. "If he really knew me, he wouldn't want to be bothered."

"Oh, will you just _stop_?!" The sharpness in Avery's voice made House take notice. "Stop tearing yourself down all the time. It's ridiculous. I don't know what kind of man you were before I met you, but the man you are now…that's the man I love, and that's the man David has come to know and like. So get over yourself. Don't question every little damned thing."

Avery's uncharacteristically angry words seemed to spark something in House. She didn't lose her temper very often, so when she did, it made House pay attention. He still had his doubts about David, but since his offer of assistance was allowing him to go home, he was willing to set them aside for now. He placed his other hand over both of Avery's, sighing resignedly.

"You know I've never exactly been a ray of sunshine, right?" Avery chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Even before…" House gestured toward his right leg. "I had a pretty wide cynical streak. The infarction, and everything after that…it kind of solidified my view of the world. I guess you could say I got stuck there."

Avery smiled softly, pulling out one hand to sweep it across House's forehead. "Seems like you've done a pretty good job of getting unstuck."

"You've had a lot to do with that. More than you know."

"Right. The love of a good woman and all that?"

House glared at Avery. "Who's the skeptic here? Pretty sure that's me." He dropped his eyes, playing with Avery's hand, stroking her ring finger. "All kidding aside…You've been patient with me. You've never judged me, never tried to make me into something other than what I am. You care about me without smothering me. I don't know how the hell you do that, but you do." House met her eyes again, and Avery felt his blue eyes boring into her. "There was some movie on the other day that I was sort of watching…one of the last lines kind of got my attention. 'You make me want to be a better person.' I guess you could say that kind of sums things up."

Avery's smile grew wider, and she could feel the lump rising in her throat again. "You really think so?"

House nodded firmly. "You know I don't bullshit around when it comes to that stuff."

This was true. It sometimes took House a long time to reveal anything personal, but once he did, Avery could count on it being the truth. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I've got to get back to work, but we'll get together with David and Chase to get your coming home plans finalized, okay?"

"Oh, you're actually going to include me this time? Thanks, babe." House wrapped a hand around the nape of her neck, keeping Avery close.

"Don't be an idiot. Of course you'll have some input. This one's all about you, isn't it?"

House couldn't even begin to explain how good it felt to have some say in what happened to him. It had been a rare thing. He touched his forehead against Avery's in a gesture of affection. "Guess it is."

The sound of tapping on glass made both of them turn their heads. Wilson was standing in the doorway, head tilted and arms folded across his chest. "Am I interrupting…again?"

"It's fine, Wilson. I was just leaving." Avery squeezed House's hand and rose from the bed. She touched Wilson on the shoulder on her way out, whispering, "I'm glad you came."

Wilson nodded, taking a deep breath before he approached House. These bedside visits always made him uncomfortable, but he knew it was important for House to know that Wilson hadn't abandoned him.

"Well…don't just stand there. Pull up a chair, stay a while." House's voice snapped Wilson back to reality. He brought over a chair, gently easing himself into it. Wilson didn't know where to start, and the silence stretched out between the two men.

House was the one who finally broke the silence. "It's good to see you."

Wilson nodded. "You too. Good to see you're in one piece."

House grinned, gesturing at himself. "Battered, but not broken. As usual."

Wilson ran his fingers through his hair, chuckling and shaking his head. "I don't know how you do it. You must be on your seventh or eighth life by now."

House's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Must be like that old saying…'Heaven doesn't want me and hell's afraid I'll take over.', which would be more appropriate if I believed in that sort of thing. Which I don't."

"Right." Wilson rolled his eyes. He leaned forward, a conspiratorial look in his eye. "You won't believe what I overheard in the cafeteria today…"

House's eyes lit up. He hadn't gotten good gossip in weeks. "Well…don't leave me hanging…"

Soon they were off and running, Wilson bringing House up to speed on the latest gossip, House sharing a little of his own. They bounced around to different subjects, finally coming back around to talking about his upcoming release.

"So they're really letting you go home?"

House nodded. "Yep, as long as I have someone babysitting me."

Wilson tilted his head. "So you're okay with that?"

"Hell yeah. Whatever gets me out of here and keeps me out of that damned nursing home Avery was threatening me with."

Wilson nodded knowingly. He could imagine the sort of hell House would raise in a rehab facility. "So this kid…David? He's going to be your babysitter, huh?"

"Guess so." House shrugged. "This whole thing was his idea. I can think of worse people to keep an eye on me."

Wilson nodded. He hadn't talked much to this kid since seeing him in the ER waiting room, but if House trusted him, that was good enough for Wilson. "I've got to get going, but I'll be back to check in before I go home. Don't go anywhere."

"Ha, ha. Still the funny one, aren't you?" House paused, looking thoughtful. "Seriously. It was good to see you. Quit being such a stranger, huh?"

"I will. Seriously." Wilson reached out to touch House on the shoulder, feeling the older man tense up slightly. "I'll see you later."

As Wilson turned around and walked out, House pondered his relationship with his oldest friend. Like him, the friendship was battered, but definitely not broken. There were a few times where he thought it was, but somehow they always came back to each other. If that wasn't some form of love, House didn't know what was.

# # #

**Sorry for the delay in this update. Thanks for your continued support. Now give me that feedback I crave. Push the button. :)**


	45. No Place Like Home

**You guessed it--I don't own them. The O/Cs are all mine, but I'm still not making a dime off them. :)**

# # #

House rolled around his room, collecting the remains of his personal items while waiting for his discharge papers from Chase. It had been a long three weeks, and he couldn't wait to get home to his piano, his guitars, his TiVo, and his own bed. Even if he had to be in the damned wheelchair, it still beat the hell out of being here.

Chase walked in, Avery following close behind him. House saw the clipboard in Chase's hands and immediately reached for it. Chase couldn't resist taunting House just a little. It seemed like a small payback for all the hell House had given him while he was here.

"I don't know…we might need to keep you here a little longer. I'm pretty sure there's a CNA on the night shift that you haven't made cry yet."

"Give me that thing." House snatched the clipboard out of Chase's hands, furiously signing the pile of paperwork discharging him. "You'll miss me, you know."

Chase rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like I'd miss a fungus." He twisted his mouth into a slight smile and held out a hand to House. "Glad to see you get out of here. Take care."

House took the hand that Chase offered, shaking it firmly. Chase had done a damn good job with House, and he respected him greatly. "See you around…_mate_."

Avery took House's backpack and House pushed himself out of the room. The pair chatted easily as they made their way to the elevator, House pushing his way through in his usual style. When they emerged on the lobby level, Cuddy was waiting for them.

"Ruh-roh. Quick, hide me. It's the fuzz!" House started to roll toward the entrance, but Cuddy easily stopped him by grabbing the back of his wheelchair.

"Not so fast, Speed Racer." House turned to meet Cuddy's amused expression. She fixed him with a warm expression, then reached down for a hug, allowing a decent view of her cleavage. House smirked, thanking a non-existent God for small favors. "Give me a call when you're ready to come back. Take your time, okay?"

"Fine, if you insist." House huffed in mock irritation. "Don't let that Foreman guy push you around. He can be relentless."

"Right. Go home, House." She squeezed Avery on the shoulder. "Take good care of him, even if he's a giant pain in the ass."

"You know I will. See you Monday, Cuddy."

They exited the building and into Avery's waiting car. House maneuvered himself into the passenger seat, and Avery folded up the wheelchair and put it in the backseat. She got behind the wheel, and she pulled out of the parking lot.

She glanced over at House, an amused expression on her face. "I've got to know something."

"What?"

"Did you really peek down Cuddy's shirt, or did I imagine that?"

House had the good sense to look embarrassed. "I plead the fifth. You shouldn't have been looking anyway."

Avery snorted. "You are _such_ a guy."

"Give me a break. I've been laid up for three weeks. Can't you take pity on a poor cripple?" House looked over with those big pleading blue eyes.

"I've missed you, too, baby." Avery smiled. "David's going to drop by in a bit. I figured he could see the place, maybe get to know the layout a little bit."

"He's not hanging out too long, is he? I wouldn't mind a little…time alone with a certain cardiologist."

"Don't worry. He's got a gig tonight. It's just you and me after that."

"Good." House leaned back and closed his eyes. He had missed his privacy most of all during his long stay. Every time he would get comfortable, it seemed like someone else had to come in and poke, prod, or otherwise bother him. It would be nice to get an uninterrupted night's sleep for a change.

Avery pulled up in front of the apartment, pleased to see that David had managed to get the small ramp built before their arrival. She hadn't even thought of it until he mentioned it. She pulled out the wheelchair and opened it up while House opened up the car door.

House maneuvered into the chair fairly easily, and started to roll himself up the ramp. Surprisingly enough, he had managed without tearing his shoulders out of joint, even though he knew Avery would give him all kinds of hell.

"Greg! What the hell are you doing?!" Yep, right on cue.

"Nothing…just wanted to see if I could manage one damned thing on my own."

Avery huffed in frustration. This was going to be a long recovery period for both of them. "Okay, you've made your point. Can we just go in now?"

House unlocked the door and took a deep whiff. It definitely smelled like home, much better than the hospital. He made a beeline for his piano, heaving himself out of the chair and onto the bench, stroking the keys lovingly.

Avery could hear the sweet sounds of House hitting the keys while she got to work in the kitchen. It almost made her want to cry with joy. The last three weeks had been lonely without House, and it was good to have him home. She left the kitchen to join him on the piano bench, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Hey, you." House turned and dropped a kiss on top of Avery's head.

"Hey, yourself." Avery simply sat for a moment, head on House's shoulder, savoring the moment. "I've missed this most of all, I think."

"You and me both, woman." House spoke softly, bringing Avery in close to him, holding her tightly.

A knock at the door interrupted their reunion, and Avery rose to answer. It was David, and Avery let him in. He glanced around the room, stopping when he saw House's piano and impressive display of guitars on the wall.

"Whoa…you actually play these?"

House grinned with pride. "Well, yeah. They're not museum pieces."

"They should be."

House chuckled, arranging himself so that he could ease himself into the wheelchair. "Come on, the woman wants me to give you a tour of the place."

David followed House around the impressive space, eventually leading down the hallway to his bedroom, pointing out the bathroom along the way. He scowled when the wheels hit the doorway. "The place isn't exactly cripple-friendly. I didn't think about that."

David shrugged nonchalantly. "That's part of why I'm going to be around. It's not all for fun, you know."

The reality of his current situation hit House hard. This was going to be longer and more painful than he bargained for. "Yeah, well, let's hope I don't need you _that_ much. Anyway, you get the idea."

He backed down the hallway, and David thought the older man looked a little defeated. Avery and Chase had both warned him that House wasn't used to depending on others for much of anything, and David could see that he was in for quite the challenge.

When they returned to the living room, Avery stuck her head out of the kitchen. "David, are you sticking around for dinner?"

"Wish I could, Doctor Matthews. I'm due at the club in a few minutes. Maybe some other time."

"Okay. Thanks for stopping by."

House was already near the couch, pushing himself out of the wheelchair as David passed through. He was obviously having a hell of a time, and David casually looped one arm under House's arm, placing the other arm over his shoulder and guiding him to the couch.

"I would have managed, you know." House glared and growled at the young man.

David regarded him skeptically. "Yeah, because it makes so much sense not to use the assistance at hand." He folded his arms across his chest. "Get used to it. I expect to be doing a lot of that for a while."

House flashed David a hostile look before clicking the remote in his hand. "If you don't mind, I've got three weeks of TiVo to catch up on."

"Right. See you Monday."

As David left, House leaned against the couch cushions, huffing in irritation. This whole homecoming thing definitely wasn't all it was cracked up to be. If it hadn't been for the fact that he hated being in the hospital marginally more…

"Food's on, baby. You want some?" Avery's gentle voice broke into his thoughts.

"Not hungry." House shifted so that he took up the entire length of the couch.

"Mm-hmm."

House heard Avery clattering around in the kitchen, and she soon returned with two plates, setting one on the coffee table. He twisted his head toward her, a questioning look on his face.

Avery simply shrugged. "It's there if you want it."

House chuckled, seeing right through Avery's little plot. He eased himself into a sitting position, reaching for the plate on the coffee table. "Fine. Wouldn't want it to get cold."

"Right." Avery tilted her head and watched House while he ate and surfed through his TiVo. Of course he would be his usual stubborn self. She wasn't sure why she expected any less from him. That stubbornness would probably end up serving him well throughout his recovery, but right now it was just irritating her.

"Something's bothering you." It wasn't a question. "I can hear you brooding from over here."

Avery chuckled sarcastically. "I'm surprised you can hear it over your own."

House's shoulders visibly sagged, and he shut off the TV, setting his plate on the coffee table. He scooted down the couch, patting the cushion next to him. "Come here, babe."

She rose from the chair, setting down her plate on top of his, and joined him on the couch. He pulled her close to him, wrapping both arms around her, reveling in the feel of her softness next to him. Her scent wafted up to his nostrils, that achingly familiar citrus scent that had seemed to appear in some of his more vivid dreams during his hospitalization.

He felt her slip an arm across his stomach and around his waist, her head hitting his shoulder with a soft sigh. House stroked her arm and placed a kiss on top of her head, waiting impatiently for whatever was bothering Avery to come out.

"Is it such a crime to let people take care of you?"

House huffed in mild annoyance. "Frankly, people haven't done such a hot job of it in times past." Stacy during the infarction was a prime example. He could come up with countless others, dating years back.

"You didn't seem to mind a few months ago."

"That was different. I knew that was temporary."

They were silent for a long moment, and Avery's mind slowly worked over that one simple statement. She didn't know how to respond to that one. What the hell could she say? Finally she turned to him, gently straddling him, ever mindful of injuries old and new.

House winced slightly, more in anticipation of pain than in actual pain. He splayed his hands around her waist as she leaned in for a long, sweet, lingering kiss.

Avery could feel House relax under her. He pulled back, stroking her cheek and staring into her eyes as if trying to figure out one of his puzzles. Finally, he seemed to give up, wrapping a hand around the nape of her neck and pulling her to him, kissing her fiercely, roughly, as if this might be their last time.

"_Dammit_, I've missed this. I've missed _you_." House continued down Avery's neck, inhaling that sweet citrus scent, moving his hands so that they were around her waist and sliding up her shirt. His voice and his breathing were ragged as he kept moving upward, feeling the silky softness of her skin, his lips brushing along her collarbone, finding the space between and leaving his mark.

Avery gasped roughly, throwing her head back, encouraging him. House started working the buttons of her shirt, slipping it off her shoulders and letting it fall. His fingers lightly stroked the swell of her breasts, curving around to cup each one in his hands, thumbs brushing against the nipples, evoking a soft moan from Avery.

House jerked his head toward the hallway. "Meet me there. I'll be along in a minute. Or two. Or ten. Either way…"

"Are you sure?" Avery's voice was soft with a blend of desire and concern.

"Yep." He gently eased Avery off his lap, shifting himself so he could watch her go. He grinned to himself as he watched her hips sway while she walked down his hallway to his bedroom.

House didn't give a damn how long it took him to get to his bedroom. He was pretty sure it would be worth it.

# # #

True to form, Avery was waiting for House in the doorway, dressed in a simple silky nightshirt that reached mid-thigh, exposing those long legs of hers. House rolled up to the doorway, smirking at the sight.

"Look at you, woman. Now I have to get you undressed all over again."

Avery rolled her eyes in amusement. "Yes, I know how much you hate that. Poor thing." She leaned down, offering herself as a means of support. House glared, then reluctantly looped an arm around her, heaving himself out of the chair and leaning heavily on Avery.

"This is going to get old in a hurry. Actually…it's old now." House grumbled.

"Eyes on the prize, baby." Avery's mouth quirked upward in a teasing half smile. "You _are_ going to get…something out of this."

House pondered this briefly. "Definitely didn't have that in the hospital. I don't think the night nurse swung that way."

"Crazy man." Avery eased House onto the bed, then straddled him carefully. She ran her fingers through his hair before capturing his lips in a soft kiss. "You all right?"

"Mm-hm…" House's hands drifted to Avery's legs, caressing the soft skin as he moved up her nightshirt, finding nothing but bare skin underneath. "I'll be better once you get rid of this thing."

Avery sat up, pulling the nightshirt over her head and tossing it to the floor. She was naked over him, and it was a beautiful sight. "Better?"

House's eyes developed that familiar gleam, followed by a slow smile. "_Much_ better. Get down here, woman."

His hands roamed over her body, reacquainting himself with her curves and softness, her murmurs of pleasure filling his ear. House moved Avery to reach her breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it, hearing a soft gasp in response.

He shifted to slip a hand in between her legs, stroking lightly at first, then increasing the pressure as she opened more fully to him.

"Move up." Avery maneuvered herself so that she was hovering over House's face, holding on to the headboard for support. His tongue quickly found her sweet spot, and she cried out as he brought her increasingly close to the edge, his long fingers stroking the back of her thighs, adding a whole other dimension to her pleasure.

"My God, baby…" She clutched the headboard tighter as she went over, softly moaning and nearly collapsing on top of House. Instead she eased herself off and curled up to him, kissing his neck and stroking his chest and stomach.

She reached the waistband of his pants and stopped, slipping her fingers just inside. House opened one eye and glanced at her suspiciously. "Not stopping there, are you?"

"I wasn't planning on it…" Avery smiled sweetly and untied his lounge pants. "…unless you really want me to stop."

"Hell, no." House's voice came out in a rush as he clutched Avery to him.

Avery chuckled and reached inside his pants, stroking him to full hardness. She could feel his breathing speed up with each stroke, and she straddled his right leg, hovering just over it to work his pants off him far enough so she could straddle him fully.

She was over him, running her hands through his chest hair, watching House react to her touch. His eyes were half closed, his chest heaving slightly. She maneuvered herself so that he was inside her, and she stroked him in a quick, easy rhythm while his arms wrapped around her, holding Avery close to him.

He groaned and tensed, then relaxed inside her, releasing his grip on her to lightly caress her back. Finally, after a long silence, he exhaled loudly, squeezing her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Now _that_ was one hell of a homecoming."

Avery laughed softly. "Are you okay?"

House snorted in amusement. "Beyond okay, babe. I could do with some sleep, though."

"You and me both." Avery slipped away to put on her nightshirt and rearrange the covers while House wrestled with his pants. Soon they were both settled back under the covers.

House got as comfortable as he could and closed his eyes. He was home and in his own bed, his woman tucked in beside him. He felt himself drift off, and for once, his troubling dreams didn't bother him. For the time being, things were as good as they could be, and House didn't feel the need to ask for much more than that.

# # #

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	46. Bird In A House

**Insert my standard don't-own-'em disclaimers here. I only claim the O/Cs.**

# # #

Avery was gathering her work things when she heard the knock on the door. She was relieved to see David standing there, a small instrument case in his hand and a half-asleep look on his face.

"Oh good, you made it." Avery waved him in with a welcoming smile. "Greg's still sleeping, but there's coffee if you want it. I left a list of appointments and his meds schedule. "

"Calm down, Doctor Matthews." David chuckled at Avery's nervous demeanor. "We'll be fine."

"Sorry, it's just…" Avery sighed. "The weekend was a little rough. Lots of adjustments. I just worry about him, that's all."

David shrugged. "Sure. Don't sweat it." He took a glance at the schedule on the table. "Looks like we might run into you later anyway."

Avery folded her arms across her chest. "We're trying to keep him away from the fourth floor. The team's got a case that Greg would love to get his hands on, and…we just want him to take the time to heal before he jumps back into things."

"Well, okay, then." David shook his head. "I'll do my best, but, you know…"

"Please do." Avery fixed him with a sharp expression. "I'll see you later."

Avery flew out the door, leaving David in a suddenly quiet living room. He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, pondering Avery's statement. Who was this almighty 'we', anyway? And did anyone bother to consult House on the matter?

"Is she gone?" A distant voice from down the hall broke into David's thoughts.

He chuckled to himself. "Yeah, she's gone. You ready to get up?"

There was a long pause before House finally answered. "I guess. Got places to go, people to harass. You know, the usual."

"From what I understand, you're not going to do a lot of harassing today." David appeared at House's side, supporting him enough to guide House into the wheelchair.

House rolled his eyes as he backed down the hallway. "Right. I'm supposed to be recovering, not working, blah, blah, blah. What the hell does she know? Uh-uh." He put up a hand when David started to help him into the bathroom. "Got this part handled, thanks."

David shook his head and headed back to the kitchen for his coffee. This was going to be an interesting day, no question.

# # #

"Come on, Doc. One more set, then we'll move on to the shoulder." Roger was standing over House on the leg press machine, his large arms crossed over his chest as he observed House.

House completed the set and leaned back for a moment, closing his eyes. Roger had started to step up his routine a bit in anticipation of the cast made sense, but Roger was really working the hell out of him.

"Ready to move on?" House nodded in response, and Roger helped move him into the wheelchair, and House rolled himself to an open area to do his shoulder work.

Roger seemed pleased with his progress. "You're coming right along, Doc. When you get that cast off, you should be able to start working with crutches."

"Not sure if that's a step up or not."

Roger tilted his head, curious about House's response. "I thought you wanted out of that chair."

"Didn't say I didn't."

House was being more difficult than usual. "What's going on with you today, Doc?"

"Don't want to talk about it. I've got a brain guy for that. You're supposed to fix my body, remember?"

Roger regarded him skeptically. "Okay, then. Guess we're done for the day. See you Wednesday."

House nodded and rolled out, where David waited for him. He closed up the book he was reading and rose to meet him.

"How'd it go?"

"Shit." House rolled his eyes in exasperation. "The man's trying to kill me. What's next on the agenda, kid?"

"Looks like the orthopedist is next, then homeward bound."

"Oh good. Fifteen minutes of him telling me 'Not yet.' Can't wait."

David shook his head at House as they entered the elevator. He was getting edgier as the morning wore on. "Maybe so, maybe not. Maybe he'll be able to give you a better idea of how long this time."

House shrugged. "Doesn't matter anyway."

The sad tone in House's voice triggered something in David. "Of course it matters. The sooner you get that thing off, the sooner you can get the hell out of that chair, right?"

House didn't respond, and remained silent for the rest of the ride. They exited and made their way to the orthopedist's office. Soon House was called in, and the orthopedist already had his most recent films up on the lightbox.

"Morning, House."

"Morning, Evans." House nodded toward the films. "What have you got there?"

Evans smiled, pointing to the first film. "The one on the left was from the ER, right after you were brought in. The one on the right is from just prior to your discharge."

House studied the films, surprised at the extent of the damage to his left leg. There were three clear breaks in the tibia, and one in the femur. The film on the right showed the pins that were inserted, and clearly showed the healing breaks.

"Damn." House hadn't realized how badly he had been injured.

"You're healing remarkably well. Obviously I can't let you out of the cast yet, but you're definitely making progress."

"I kind of figured." House twisted his mouth in an expression of disappointment.

Evans turned at the tone of House's voice. He had been expecting some sort of sarcastic quip, some barb launched in his direction. House sounded almost…sad. Just…sad. He sat down on his stool and spun toward House.

"I wish I had better news for you, too." Evans made direct eye contact with House. "I know your reputation. There's no reason you can't terrorize the world from that chair."

"Except that I just don't want to. Hard to be intimidating from a sitting position."

Evans had a good laugh at that assertion. "I find that extraordinarily hard to believe." His face turned more serious at House's glare. "We'll set you up with another x-ray, then get together in two weeks, see where you are then."

"Right." House ignored Evans' outstretched hand and started to wheel himself out of the exam room. Evans set his paperwork in his lap before he made it out the door.

David met House just outside the room, accompanying him to the check out desk. "So…what's the word?"

"Just as I thought. More 'wait-and-see'." House signed the clipboard and handed it to the receptionist. She filled out two appointment cards and started to hand them to David. He shook his head and nodded toward House. Fortunately, the receptionist was quick on the draw, and she quickly handed them over the counter to House.

House tucked the cards in his shirt pocket and rolled down the hallway, David close behind. "It's almost lunch time. If we go upstairs, we might be able to catch a couple of people…"

"Oh, hell no." David shook his head. "I'm under strict orders to keep you away from the fourth floor. If you want to make a lunch date, you've got a phone."

_Dammit._ "You know, when I call you my babysitter, I only mean it in the most sarcastic way." House rolled toward the elevators, reaching out to punch the up button.

David rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. This couldn't possibly end well. Doctor Matthews would either chew out him or House, possibly both of them.

Two doctors joined them in waiting for the elevator. One was African-American, dressed sharply in a suit. The other was short, balding, with a large nose and a lab coat. He had a file tucked under his arm, and it seemed to catch House's attention.

"Well…fancy meeting you two here. Where's the third Stooge?" House's voice boomed out, startling David. He must know these two.

The two men looked at each other, then at House. One folded his arms over his chest while the other fixed House with a slight glare. The elevator dinged behind them, and the four of them piled on. The short one pushed the button for the fourth floor, glancing back at House.

"Going our way?" His tone was almost patronizing.

House shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

The black one rolled his eyes and huffed in mild exasperation. "You know we're under orders, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." House waved dismissively. "I'm just…visiting. I've missed you all so, you know."

"And I suppose that file Taub's holding has _nothing_ to do with your sudden desire to visit."

House suddenly looked wide-eyed and innocent, turning to Taub. "Is that what you're holding? I didn't even notice."

The elevator door opened on the fourth floor, and the men piled out, scanning in and heading towards Diagnostics. A young woman appeared in the hallway, a surprised expression on her face.

"House?!"

House held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. "Just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by." He swiftly snatched the file folder out from under Taub's arm as he strolled by. "Hm…what are we working on?"

"_We_ are working on a _possible_ case." The black man snatched back the file. "_You_ are going home."

"Actually…I'm…" House turned to David. "Why am I here again?"

"To get me…and you in trouble." David muttered, pointing down the hall. Avery strode out of her office, noticing the crowd gathered in front of Diagnostics.

"Aw…snap." House smirked as Avery pressed between the three doctors gathered in the hallway, coming to stand in front of House. Her arms were folded over her chest, a slight frown crossing her features. "Hey, babe. Free for lunch?"

"It's 10:30 in the morning. You're a little early."

"Brunch, then. I'm not fussy."

Avery sighed, then looked up at David. "Take him home." She glared at House. "We'll talk later."

"Don't tease a guy like that. It's not nice." House grinned teasingly, winking at Avery.

Avery couldn't help but chuckle a little. She bent down to kiss him on the cheek, whispering in his ear, "You should know by now…I _never_ tease."

House let out a low chuckle in response and quickly turned the wheelchair around. "Well, kids, it's been fun. Don't kill anyone while I'm away…"

He was nearly to the elevators by the time David caught up to him. Jesus, the old guy was speedy, literally hell on wheels.

"Where are you going now?!"

"Home, obviously." House punched the down button. "No need for me to hang around here." He seemed to slump in the chair, twiddling his thumbs as he waited, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The elevator opened, and the two men entered, David hitting the ground floor button. It was a quiet ride, and David knew he wouldn't get anything out of him here.

When they exited at the lobby, David dug out his keys. "I'll bring the car around if you want to hang here."

House glared at him. "I'm a cripple, not a fucking invalid. I think I can manage to drive myself to your damn car."

"Fine, let's go."

# # #

The ride home was as silent as the elevator ride. House looked out the window the whole time, a brooding expression on his face. He waved David away when he attempted to help him into the chair, pushing himself up the ramp and unlocking the door to the building and the apartment.

House immediately rolled over to the piano, heaving himself onto the bench. He brushed his fingers over the keys, a melancholy tune flowing out of him. David passed by him, but House barely noticed him.

"Think I'll make a sandwich. You want one?"

House shook his head. "Nah, I'm good."

David listened to him play, finally recognizing the tune. It was the song David had played for House in the hospital. _A bird in a house, dying to get out._

He turned back from the kitchen and leaned on the top of the piano, watching House. He appeared deep in concentration as he worked out the arrangement, playing back over different parts of the song, experimenting with different tempos. House noticed David watching him and scowled slightly.

"Thought you were in the kitchen."

"Changed my mind." David nodded toward the piano. "So you liked the song, huh?"

House shrugged. "It seemed oddly appropriate."

"You really miss your job, don't you?"

House chuckled darkly. "You wouldn't get it."

"Try me."

House stopped playing and sat up on the bench. "You said your mom and stepdad aren't thrilled about the music thing, right?"

"Yeah. What's your point?"

"They're not happy, but you're pushing on anyway."

"Right…" David turned over the thought in his mind. Suddenly it made sense. "Limits. Control. That's what this is all about, isn't it?"

House froze. He hadn't expected David to be quite so perceptive. "Either you're more perceptive than I gave you credit for or I'm more obvious than I thought I was."

David laughed softly. "The song was kind of obvious."

"Yeah, well, if the song fits…" House relaxed and returned to playing.

"Talk to her."

"What?"

David rolled his eyes. For someone so smart, House could be incredibly obtuse. "Talk to Doctor Matthews. It's your life, your recovery. Seems like you should have some say in how it goes."

House's mouth twisted in a slight smile. "She's very…protective. We've kind of been through a lot in a short time."

"So?" David shrugged. "Doesn't mean she knows what's best for you."

"Ah, you're a bright boy, aren't you?" House scooted down the bench and eased himself into his chair, rolling over to the couch. "Think I'll catch a nap. Do what you want, but don't touch the piano."

"Okay. Holler if you need anything."

"Right." House settled in on the couch, closing his eyes. David had called it right without realizing it, sort of. House didn't necessarily miss the _job_, but he missed the thrill of the hunt, solving the mystery, hell, even…even the daily human contact.

This wasn't right. House always considered himself an independent man, never needing other people, never bothering to bond with others. Something had shifted, but he wasn't sure when the shift had happened.

He sighed, allowing himself to relax into the cushions of the leather couch. The morning had taken a lot out of him, and he was too damned tired to analyze things anyway. Maybe he'd work something out with Avery later...

# # #

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	47. Learning To Fly

**I don't own these folks, and therefore don't make a dime off them. Only the O/Cs belong to me.**

# # #

House blinked as he woke up, briefly disoriented by the changing light pattern in the room. He could hear David in the chair, picking at the mandolin he had brought with him that morning.

David stopped when he saw the older man stir. "Did I wake you?"

"Nope." House shifted to a sitting position and checked his watch. "Jesus, you let me sleep all afternoon?"

David shrugged. "Must have needed it. You hungry?"

"I could do with a little something, I guess."

"I'll hook you up."

David went into the kitchen, and before long he heard House roll in behind him. He could feel House study him as he fixed two sandwiches and handed one to House.

"You need anything else?"

"Grab a couple of Cokes out of the fridge, would you?"

David did as he was asked and handed one of the cans to House. "Something on your mind?"

House continued to study David. "Why are you here?"

"We've been over this, Doc." David pushed past House and sat in the living room chair. "I can be here, I want to be here, and you're where you want to be."

House mumbled something David didn't quite catch as he rolled into the living room. He set down his plate and Coke and rolled over to where his backpack hung over one of the dining room chairs. Finding his phone, he scrolled through his contacts and hit send.

"Taub."

"Hey…it's House."

Taub rolled his eyes on the other end of the phone, walking away from his colleagues to take the call. "What do you want, House?"

"Can't a guy call and shoot the breeze without arousing suspicion?"

"Not when it's you."

"Fine. I'm busted." House huffed in annoyance. "What was in that file you were carrying earlier?"

"What makes you think I'm going to tell you?"

"Because you're sneaky and you love to show up Foreman. You just did it a couple of weeks ago. Now fill me in."

David could hear Taub explaining the case to House, and he saw the light spark in House's eyes. He dug a notebook and a pen out of his backpack and started making notes, asking the occasional question.

"Interesting…Call me back when you find something." House rolled his eyes. "You'll find a way. Bye."

A slow grin started to spread over his face. Finally, things were getting _interesting._ He rolled past David over to one of his bookcases. "Need a hand here."

David rose from the chair and wandered over to the bookcase. "You're not…working, are you?"

"No, I'm consulting. Now grab that book…the one three books over…and the one on the shelf below, two spaces over. No, not that one, the one next to it." House glanced at David. "You going to squeal on me?"

"No." David carried the references over to the table. "But you should talk to her. You're obviously bored shitless."

"Not anymore." House pulled his glasses out of his shirt pocket and shoved them on his face, flipping through reference books and making notes.

David chuckled and stretched out on the couch with the book he started earlier. "Like I said, holler if you need something."

"Mm-hm." House was immediately lost in his own world, right where he wanted to be.

# # #

Avery walked into the apartment that evening, immediately amused by the scene. David was sacked out on the couch, a book laid across his chest. House's forehead was resting on the heel of his hand, surrounded by reference texts and notes, snoring lightly.

She nudged David as she walked by, and he awakened immediately, quickly sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry, Doctor Matthews. Didn't mean to fall asleep on him."

"Oh, it's fine. Looks like you'd wake up pretty quickly if you needed to." She nodded over at House. "Clearly there was no need."

_Uh-oh._ "He was working on something. Said he was doing a 'consult'."

Avery laughed. "I'll bet he was." She smiled kindly at David. "You're free to go. I'll wake up Sleeping Beast here."

"Don't be too hard on him." David squeezed Avery's shoulder. "See you in the morning."

Avery wandered over to where House was slumped over the dining room table and kissed him on the top of his head. He jolted awake, briefly disoriented and shaking his head.

"This isn't what it looks like." House mumbled, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

"Of course it's not." Avery chuckled. "So which one of them called you?"

"None of them." House admitted. "I called Taub."

Avery wasn't at all surprised. After all, Taub was the one who had visited House with a case file barely two weeks ago.

"I'm not mad, baby." Avery wrapped her arms over House's shoulders and across his chest. "I just don't want you wearing yourself out."

House shrugged. "Sitting at a table is hardly wearing. It's not like I'm running around the hospital." He patted her hands and returned to his notes.

"Says the man power napping over a pile of paper." Avery left him and headed down the hallway to shower and change clothes.

"I'm fine, dammit." House snarled, his voice carrying down the hallway. "Christ, leave me alone." He put his glasses back on and started poring over another reference book. 'Mmm Bop' sang from his phone, making House grin slightly. "House."

"Smile, you're on speakerphone." Foreman opened.

House groaned. "Tiny Taub squealed, didn't he?"

"No…but when your words came out of his mouth, I got a little suspicious. Anyway, we've got a new symptom."

"Oh do tell…"

When Avery returned, she could hear House discussing something, then giving orders before hanging up. "You see, babe? They can't work without me."

"Right." Avery sat at the table, studying House as he worked. "You really miss this, don't you?"

House sat back in his wheelchair and took off his glasses. "For three weeks, all I could think about was getting out of that damned hospital and coming home. Now that I'm home, I'd rather be there. It's fucked up, I know."

"Not at all. I should have known better than to agree to keep you away from your work. For some reason Cuddy and Wilson both thought it would be less stressful for you this way."

"I should have known. Those two love to conspire against me." House glared at Avery. "And yes, _you_ should have known better."

"Okay, we've established that. Can we move on?" Avery tossed an envelope to House. "You got something from your insurance company today."

House looked puzzled as he opened it and began to read the letter. "Oh yeah…the claim on the bike. Almost forgot about that." He frowned as he studied the police pictures. The bike was virtually unrecognizable, a twisted mass of metal.

"Are you okay?" Avery's brow furrowed in concern.

House handed her the pictures, and concern was replaced by shock as she went through the pictures. She rose and wrapped her arms around him once again, kissing the back of his neck.

"You got damned lucky."

"I know." House sighed heavily. "I'm…not sure if I'm going to get another bike. Chances are I won't be able to ride again anyway."

"You don't know that, and you don't have to make that decision right now." Avery squeezed House before releasing him. "If you decide to get another one, that's fine with me."

"And if I have another accident?" House shook his head. "I'm already on my seventh or eighth life. This old body can only take so much before it gives."

"No point in worrying about that right now." House had a point, but Avery was damned if she was going to let him know that. He had loved that motorcycle, and she couldn't see him not replacing it eventually. "Cross that bridge when you get to it."

Avery went into the kitchen to start dinner, and House pushed away from the table to follow her. He got another Coke out of the refrigerator and rolled over to where she was working, placing a hand on the counter and heaving himself out of the wheelchair, balancing himself on his right leg. Once standing, he placed his other hand on the counter so that Avery was between them, leaning in to kiss her neck.

"Mmm…Hey, what are you doing out of the chair?"

"Roger's been working the hell out of my right leg. I just wanted to see if it was paying off." House placed another gentle kiss on the back of Avery's neck, inhaling the scent of her perfume mixed with her shampoo. "Besides, I can't do _that_ from the chair."

"So…what's the verdict?"

"It hurts a little. Always will, but it's not so bad." House could feel his leg shaking, but was reluctant to leave Avery.

Avery quickly caught House as he was about to lose his balance, gently easing him back into the wheelchair. House looked hurt and defeated.

"So much for that plan."

"Be easy with yourself. It'll happen, and I plan to be around for it." Avery planted a firm kiss on House's lips. She thought she heard that damned Hanson song coming from the dining area. "Is that your phone again?"

House chuckled a little. "Damned kids. Give them one minute of attention, and they nag you forever." He rolled away, picking up his phone and answering it. "House."

Soon he was off and running, leading his team once again. The light had returned to his eyes as he became absorbed in solving the puzzle, as happy as Avery had seen him since the accident.

Avery realized that she had gotten so caught up in caring for House that she never stopped to think about what he wanted. Come to think of it, House had never said much of anything at all about his wants. He rarely did.

She finished making dinner and prepared a plate for each of them. House had finished his phone conversation and was seated on the couch, eyes staring off into the distance, deep in thought.

"Take a break. Eat. Rest."

"You trying to 'mom' me again?"

"No, baby. I'm obviously no good at it. Probably just as well that I never had children."

House sighed a little. "You do all right. If you go overboard sometimes…I guess I'd rather have that than…" He shook his head. "I had a point in there somewhere."

"It's okay. Sounds like it's been a long day for both of us."

They finished dinner and Avery took their plates to the kitchen while House eased himself back into the chair, rolling toward the bathroom.

"Need any help?"

"Nope, I'm good." House made his way into the bathroom, stripping down and starting the water. David and Avery had done one hell of a job making the thing more cripple-friendly, and he cursed himself for not doing it himself years ago. It did make the whole process a lot easier.

He rolled back into the living room after changing into an old t-shirt and lounge pants, joining Avery on the couch. Avery shifted so that she was on his right side, leaning on House's shoulder.

"What was that crack you made earlier about not having kids?"

"Oh, nothing, really."

House pondered this for a moment. "So…why didn't you have kids? Seems like you would have made a pretty decent mom."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Why are you even bringing this up?"

"Just curious, that's all."

"Fine. If you must know…I never had a burning desire to have children. Not that I hate them or anything. I just never wanted any of my own."

"Huh. Interesting."

"What about you?"

A dark cloud seemed to pass over House's face. "I would have been a shitty dad."

Avery sat up, baffled by the sharp tone of House's voice. "What makes you say that?"

"Let's just say…I didn't have a great example to follow. No kid would have deserved that." House was reluctant to share the darkest part of his past. Maybe someday he would tell her the whole story, but he doubted it. There was so much that he hadn't told anyone, his brain guy included. Some things were just better left buried.

Avery didn't press the issue, and returned to her resting spot on House's shoulder. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Not your fault." House pulled Avery closer, kissing her on top of her head. "I'm the one who brought the whole kids thing up, remember?"

House scooted a little further down the couch, patting his leg. "Lay down. Relax a little."

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

"Yes, I'm sure, and it won't hurt any more than it already does." She gently lay down her head, mindful of the scar that took up a good deal of his thigh. He took her hand and placed it directly on the scar, and she could feel the dimpled spot and the roughness of the scar tissue. "That's where they took out the dead muscle. Stacy knew it wasn't what I wanted, but she was sure she was doing the right thing. It probably saved my life, but…"

"You could never really trust her again."

"Yeah." He stroked Avery's hair as she lay on his lap. "It's taken me a hell of a long time to even think about trusting another woman like that. I don't know if I ever will."

"You said you trusted me."

"I do. This is just…different, somehow. I don't know. There was a point buried in that story, too. Can't remember what the hell it was."

Avery lifted her head and sat up to meet House's eyes. "I can't guarantee that I'll always do what's right for you. I can guarantee that I'll do my best. Just don't forget…I'm not a mind reader. I need to know what you want so that I have a better chance of doing right by you."

House looked surprised. The idea of voicing his wants and needs, let alone having them met, was still a foreign concept to him. "I'll keep that in mind. Right now, I think I'm good."

Avery smiled. "Seriously?"

House thought about it a minute before answering. "Yeah, seriously. I've got a case to keep me busy, decent company during the day, you at night…" He held Avery close to him again, feeling a brief wave of emotion wash over him. "Love you."

"Love you." Avery curled up to him, taking in the scent of his soap, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. She could feel herself starting to fall asleep, and she could feel House's breathing change slightly as he got close to falling asleep himself.

"Come on, old man." Avery nudged him awake. "The bed's far more comfortable."

"You go ahead. I'll be there eventually."

Avery headed down the hallway, and House pushed himself into the wheelchair for the trip down the hallway. He tried to remember if he still had a set of crutches around. It sounded like a good project for David tomorrow, and experimenting with the crutches would definitely give him something interesting to do. This wheelchair business was getting old, and the sooner he was out of it, the better.

# # #

**Thanks to those of you still following along. Now push the button and give me the feedback I love so much.**


	48. Tear Down The Walls

**Feeling a little update crazy today. Once again, I don't own anything but the O/Cs.**

# # #

House was flying down the road, leaning into the curves, feeling the power of the machine under him. The buzz of riding that bike was better than any drug. On the bike, he wasn't a middle-aged, drug-addicted cripple. He was free, truly free, and he grinned underneath his helmet visor as he shifted gears and increased his speed.

The bike seemed to slow down despite House's efforts. He frowned as he revved up, not seeing that he had crossed the center line, headed directly into the path of the oncoming vehicle. Time slowed, and House's reactions slowed with it as the car slammed into him, sending both he and the bike flying, hitting the pavement with a sickening crunch.

Pain coursed through him as he opened his eyes. His surroundings seemed to take on an unreal quality, time shifting around him as a shadow crossed over him.

"Hello, House. Did you miss me?"

House couldn't focus through the intense pain. "David? That you?"

A mocking laugh, clearly female, reached his ears. "There's no one here but us, House. We're all alone out here."

_No, no. This is wrong, all wrong._ "He didn't leave me out here. He stayed."

The apparition shook her blond head sadly. "No, House. He took off. Don't you remember?" She leaned closer so that she was making direct eye contact. "You came into this world alone, and now you're leaving it alone, just like Wilson said. Goodbye, House…"

House screamed out in pain and fear as Amber faded away, and he felt something shaking him.

"Baby, wake up." Avery's voice reached him as his eyes flew open. "You're dreaming out loud again."

House struggled to sit up, shaking and sweating, his heart rate through the roof, his breathing ragged. The whole thing had been so vivid, so real. He finally leaned back as his body functions normalized, his head hitting the headboard with a heavy _thunk_.

"Is there anything I can do?" Avery's voice was soft, comforting, and most importantly, _real_.

"Nothing you aren't doing already." House stripped off his sweat-soaked t-shirt and tossed it aside, settling back onto the pillow and pulling Avery close to him. "Didn't mean to wake you up. Sorry."

Avery chuckled and wrapped an arm around his chest. "I've been sleeping next to you for how long now? I'm used to this now."

"You shouldn't have to 'get used to it'." House lightly kissed her forehead. "This is my issue, not yours."

"Then handle it. Call your brain guy."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"Yep. Now go back to sleep."

Avery murmured something, snuggling as close to House as she could. He could hear her breathing even out as she fell back asleep.

House lay there for what felt like hours, processing the dream over and over. His worst dreams had him ending up alone is some fashion, a fear that had intensified over the years. Even though he was surrounded by more people than ever, the unexpressed fear just wouldn't leave him.

His emotional walls were falling, brick by brick, leaving him open to…he didn't know what. That was part of the problem, House supposed, and probably part of why the dreams had intensified over time. It was as if there was still a part of him that didn't believe that his current life was real, a part of him that was desperate to cling to his old life, despite the misery that had come with it.

He finally willed himself to fall asleep again, making a mental note to call his brain guy. Clearly there was more work to do, and for once House was willing to make the effort. Damned if he was going to drag Avery down after everything she had done for him.

# # #

House awoke a couple of hours later, still feeling fuzzy after the dreams the night before. He listened to Avery bustling around, getting ready for work, and he could smell the coffee brewing.

Avery popped her head in, wearing a concerned expression on her tired face. "Are you ready to get up, or do you want to wait for David?"

"Might as well get up now." House pushed himself to a sitting position and scooted to the edge of the bed. Avery took his left side, boosting him enough to get to the wheelchair in the doorway. "Admit it, this shit's getting old already."

"Agreed." Avery nodded. "It'll get better. Ready for coffee?"

"Duh." House grinned. "I'm _always _ready for your…coffee."

Avery couldn't help laughing at House's teasing. "You're a mess. Living room or dining room?"

"Dining room. I've got some work to do."

Avery brought him a steaming mug of caffeinated goodness and placed it near his right hand. "You've got a couple of calls to make, too. Don't forget that."

"I haven't forgotten. Quit nagging me, woman." House sagged slightly at Avery's worried expression. "Yes, I'll call the brain guy. Promise."

"Good." Avery dropped a kiss on House's forehead as David walked in. "Love you, and see you later."

"Love you too, babe." House busied himself in his notes and references, speed dialing the team for an update on their patient.

Avery passed by David on her way out, touching him on the shoulder. "He had a rough night. Keep an eye on him today, okay?"

David nodded. "Will do."

House heard David dump his backpack on the floor and head toward the kitchen for a cup of coffee. He noticed that he wasn't wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt.

"Going somewhere?"

David sat at the table, sipping his coffee. "I was thinking about going for a run later. Want to come with?"

House snorted. "Hello, delusional much?"

David rolled his eyes. "You're pretty damn fast in that chair. Running's about the only shot I have at keeping up with you."

House seemed to take the idea under consideration. "How far?"

"An easy five or so."

"Miles?" House frowned slightly and nodded. "I could do that, maybe."

"You'll be setting the pace. I don't want you tearing your shoulders out of joint."

"Fine. I've got a couple things to do first, though." House rolled away from the table and down the hallway, taking his phone with him. "Back in a bit."

David rose from the table to sit on the couch, kicking off his running shoes. Chances were good that House would be a while, and he didn't count on getting out much before early afternoon.

# # #

House sat in the hallway, rolling his chair back and forth with his foot, turning the phone over and over in his hand. He had promised Avery that he would call his brain guy, and he knew it was a call he needed to make. It was a call he didn't _want_ to have to make.

Finally he huffed in irritation, finding the number in his contacts and hitting the send button. The office picked up, and House nearly hung up on the receptionist. _No. Don't chicken out now._ He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Morning. I need…" House paused before continuing. "I need to make an appointment. Got any openings today?"

"Name?"

"House…Doctor Gregory House." He waited while the receptionist went through the calendar. "Actually…he wouldn't happen to be available right now, would he?"

"Is this an emergency?"

"Sort of…no. Not really. Never mind." House quickly snapped his phone closed. _Fuck. House, you idiot. Just make the damn call._

"Everything okay, Doc?" David appeared in the entryway.

"Fine." House slumped slightly in the chair. "Line was busy, that's all."

"Whatever you say." David tilted his head. "You going to call them back?"

"None of your damn business." House snapped. "Go away."

David was silent for a long moment, and House thought he had left. Finally he spoke again, quietly this time. "It's good to have a therapist on speed dial. Everyone should."

House rolled his eyes in irritation. "I thought I told you to go away."

"You did. I ignored you." David moved closer to House, daring to invade his space by placing a hand on his shoulder. "Make the damn call, Doc. It's easier to handle…things before they completely take over."

The kid had a point. How many years did House push things aside before they exploded around him? When the crash did come…it was devastating. He finally opened the phone and redialed.

"Um…hi. House again. I…lost my connection earlier. Any openings today?"

David left House to his call, relieved that he had been able to convince him into making the call. He glanced down at his own wrists, at the scars that remained there, a sign of the pain he had attempted to rid himself of in terribly destructive ways.

He had noticed the scars on House as well. House was a deeply private man, not one to open up easily to anyone. David had no reason to believe that House would open up to him, so he would just have to wonder about the scars, both physical and emotional.

House rolled out of the hallway, breaking into David's thoughts. "Okay, appointment's not until this afternoon. Now, about that run you were talking about…"

# # #

David and House made an odd pair as they headed out of the apartment and down the sidewalk. For once House was relatively content to let David lead as David set an easy pace, House rolling behind him.

Eventually they ended at a small park a couple of miles away from the apartment. House hadn't even been aware it was there. They found a bench, and David flopped down while House rolled up alongside, rubbing his left shoulder absentmindedly.

"You okay?" David looked concerned. "I told you to set the pace, and I'd follow."

"I'm fine. It's just a little more than I'm used to." House pushed up his sunglasses and leaned back in the chair, digging through his backpack for his phone. Finding no missed calls, he shoved it back in his pack and resumed basking in the morning sun. "Thought we were doing five. There's no way in hell that was five miles."

"It will be by the time we get back. I'm breaking it up a little bit." David stretched out his legs in front of him and spread his arms out along the back of the park bench. "I did ten on Sunday, and I'm still a little sore."

"Ten? What the hell for?"

David grinned. "Getting an early start on marathon training. I got into the lottery for New York in November."

"You're crazy."

"Yep, I get that a lot." David glanced over at House. "They've got a wheelchair division, you know."

"Not interested. I don't plan on being in the chair that long, anyway."

"Just saying. I've seen some of those racing chairs. They're pretty sweet."

"Not so fucking 'sweet' when you're living in one." House snapped back.

David cursed himself for his insensitivity. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"No shit, really?" A pair of young women caught House's eye as they passed by, and he looked over his sunglasses to get a better look. "Well damn. We've got to come out here more often."

David snorted. "Doctor Matthews would kick your ass if she knew what you were up to."

House grinned in response. "Nah, she'd just laugh at me. " He proceeded to do a dead-on imitation of Avery. " 'Oh, Greg, you're such a _guy_.'."

"She's a pretty cool lady if that's the case." David leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his knees. "Every girlfriend I've had always freaked out if I so much as glanced at another girl."

House's face turned serious. "She's the best I've ever had, no lie. Can't say I've ever known another woman like her."

The two men continued chatting idly for a while, enjoying each other's company and the day. A few more young women passed by, and a couple of them cast glances in David's direction.

"I swear, that's about the third time that one's passed through here." House glanced over his sunglasses. "You want me to trip her or something?"

David looked at House like he was crazy. "No thank you. Somehow that doesn't sound like a good matchmaking plan."

"Fine. Don't ever say I didn't try to hook you up."

On her fourth pass, House finally hollered out to her. "Hey, you going to stop to chat, or are you just going to stalk us all day?"

"Doc, what the hell are you doing?" David hissed at him.

"Playing wingman. Shut up." The young woman stopped and looked back at the older man in the wheelchair and his younger companion. The younger man looked a little embarrassed at the older man's behavior, but waved shyly at her. House rolled over to the young woman, putting his sunglasses on top of his head to get a better look.

She was short and curvy, obviously in peak condition. Her bright auburn hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a sports tank and running shorts, showing off her muscular body. She regarded the graying man in the wheelchair coolly. He was handsome in a rough sort of way, with bright blue eyes that seemed to bore straight into her soul. It was a little creepy, and if it hadn't been for the lanky blond guy sitting on the bench, she would have run off immediately.

"Have you met my friend David? He runs, too, when he's not busy babysitting me."

"No, I don't believe I have." She followed House over to the park bench, extending a hand to David. "Name's Kelly. Nice to meet you."

David reached out, grasping Kelly's hand. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Well, my work here is done. I'll be…around when you two are done hooking up."

"Not so fast, Doc." David grabbed the back of House's chair before he could roll away. "We do have…plans this afternoon, remember?"

House huffed in annoyance and flipped his sunglasses back over his eyes. He had almost hoped to miss his little appointment. It would have been a nice side benefit of hooking David up.

"Actually…I have to go. My class starts at one, and I have to get back to get ready." Kelly spoke up, rising to her feet, handing her phone to David. "Put your number in there, and I'll put mine in yours. Maybe we can get together…later."

David looked a little stunned. "Okay…" He nervously punched in his number, handing over his own phone. They exchanged phones, his green eyes meeting her light blue ones. "Nice meeting you. I'll call you later."

"Same here." She took off again, her ponytail bobbing as she ran off. David could hear House chuckling behind him, and he felt himself blushing.

"Nicely done, kid. She's _hot_."

"Yeah, she is." David turned to House. "I guess I should thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. When you manage to get things going with her…then you can thank me." House glared at him over his shades. "You _are_ going to follow through, right? I went to a hell of a lot of trouble for nothing otherwise."

David rolled his eyes. "I'll call her, okay? I can't guarantee anything beyond that. Come on, we've got to get going. Don't want you to be late for your appointment after all the trouble you went to setting it up."

"Yeah, yeah. Race you back."

House took off, and David had to hurry to catch up, cursing all the way. This man was going to be the death of him yet.

# # #

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	49. Still Climbing Mountains

**Still don't own them. Never have, never will. Doesn't mean I won't keep having fun with them, though. :)**

# # #

"Ready to roll, Doc?"

"Yeah, I guess." If House had been able to, he would have been pacing around the room. As it was, he rolled back and forth with his foot, a tense expression on his face.

David tilted his head at him. "You know, you're not going to your own execution. You're taking care of yourself. It's a good thing."

"Doesn't mean I have to enjoy it." House grumbled, swinging open the door and rolling through. "Come on, the sooner we go, the sooner I can get this shit over with."

House was silent for the entire ride, staring out the window. David pulled into the parking lot, pulling into the nearest handicapped space.

"You want company?"

House shook his head. "Nope."

David took out the wheelchair and set it up so that House could slide in from the car. "Give me a call when you're done."

"Will do." House paused, glancing over at David. "You know…unless you've got somewhere to be…"

"Can't think of anything." David wore a neutral expression, not wanting to increase House's discomfort.

"Might as well come along, then. Don't want to be late." House rolled away, never looking back at David.

The pair entered the waiting room, and David pulled out his book while House dug out his PSP. It seemed to take the edge off, and he seemed a little more relaxed by the time his name was called.

House shoved the PSP back in his backpack, casting a tense glance at David. He nodded slightly in encouragement, taking House's backpack while he rolled into the office.

David's heart went out to House. He couldn't imagine how difficult it had been for House to seek the help he clearly needed. Hell, it had been hard for David when he was going through his own issues. He had used every chemical means under the sun to deal with things before finally breaking down and reaching out. As the office door closed behind House, David sent up a quick prayer for whoever might be listening, hoping that House would find his way through whatever was holding him down.

# # #

Phillip looked up when he heard his office door click open and closed, revealing House. He was a bit startled to see him in a wheelchair, a cast poking out beneath the hem of his jeans.

"Motorcycle accident." House quickly answered Phillip's unanswered question. "About three weeks ago now."

Phillip nodded. "Settle in wherever you feel comfortable. Start when you're ready."

House nodded slowly, taking in the office. Nowhere really felt comfortable in here, even though he had a good rapport with Phillip. House settled in front of his desk, pushing himself back and forth in the chair, fingers twisted together in his lap. He wasn't sure where to start. Wherever it was, it was going to be awkward, painful, and uncomfortable.

"I don't want to die alone." He suddenly blurted out. _Shit. That wasn't what I wanted to say. This was a bad idea. What the hell am I doing here?_

"Okay. Let's start there." Phillip started making notes.

House tilted his head back and suddenly found something very interesting on the ceiling. He sighed and untwisted his fingers, drumming them against the armrest of his chair.

"I've been having these…dreams."

"How long?"

House shrugged. "A while. They kind of come and go."

"Is there any pattern?"

"Sort of. Amber shows up a lot."

"Really." Phillip looked concerned.

"Yeah. Kutner shows up sometimes, too." House waved his hands around impatiently. "I know what it all means. That's not the problem. Amber plays the Dark Side, Kutner's the voice of hope. I get that."

"Sounds like there's more going on."

House nodded, finally meeting Phillip's eyes. "This last one, last night. It was about the accident, and…everything happened like I remember it, only…" He took a deep, shaky breath. "There was no one to rescue me. Amber was the only one there, and she wasn't any damn help. She just told me I was leaving this world like I came into it. Alone." House swallowed the lump that suddenly grew in his throat. "I don't _want_ to die alone."

"Do you think you might?"

House looked thoughtful, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know. I mean…I'm not alone now, but…that doesn't mean I won't be alone again eventually."

"So you're in a relationship now?"

House chuckled. It _had_ been a while since he had come to see Phillip. "Yeah. She's…amazing. Great woman. Head of cardiology over at Plainsboro." A slight grin spread onto his weathered face. "We're supposed to get hitched soon."

"Wow. Impressive. Congratulations." Phillip smiled in response. House had come a long way. "But…it sounds like you still have some doubts."

"I guess I do." The grin faded as quickly as it had appeared. "I had that first Amber dream right after I popped the question to her." He shivered as he recalled the dream.

Phillip pondered over what direction to take things. "It sounds like you're worried that she'll leave you."

House chuckled. "Yeah. Guess that's the chance I take by letting her in, right?"

"Right. Good to know you remember some of our conversations."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." House sat back, rolling his eyes. "I just..." That damned lump appeared in his throat again, and it wasn't leaving. "She keeps putting up with me, and I don't know why. I keep thinking she's going to get wise and figure out what an asshole I really am. Once that happens…game over."

"And the pattern will continue, confirming what you know to be true."

"Right." House glanced around the room.

"You're forgetting something, though."

"What?"

"Your subconscious knows that the pattern is being broken, and it's…processing."

House smirked. "My subconscious isn't happy. There's a shocker."

"Not that it's not happy. It's just confused. Things are changing, and it doesn't know why. Which means that something about your conscious behavior has changed."

House nodded, a slow realization washing over him. God, it was so simple, he couldn't believe he hadn't figured it out before. "I did manage to quit doing that…pushing people away thing."

"Don't downplay that. That's a huge step forward." The timer on Phillip's desk went off, signifying the end of the session. "Well, look at that. You managed to fill an hour. Nice work."

"I guess it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." House chuckled and twisted his fingers together. "Same time next week?"

"Really?" Phillip was surprised. Normally getting House in here was like pulling teeth.

House shrugged. "I've got a lot on my mind these days."

"Make your appointment with the receptionist on the way out." Phillip came out from around his desk and held out his hand to House. "Welcome back."

"Don't get all warm and fuzzy on me. I get enough of that at home." House scowled slightly, but shook Phillip's outstretched hand. "See you around."

Phillip watched House roll out of his office, surprised and pleased to see how well House was doing, all things considered. He hoped to see him again, but he wasn't holding his breath. He'd believe it when House rolled through that door again.

# # #

David looked up when he heard House's chair approaching. He closed his book and handed House his backpack. House immediately dug for his phone, checking for messages.

"You expecting a call?"

House shrugged. "I was kind of expecting to hear back from the team. No big."

"We're not that far away. We could drop by."

"That's okay. I don't want to take the chance of running into Cuddy. Ooh." House mock-shivered at the idea.

"Okay. Anything else on the agenda today?"

"Nope. Take me home, Jeeves."

David snickered. "You know, you do kind of look like the guy that played Wooster."

House rolled his eyes. "I get that occasionally. Crazy."

Avery was already home when they arrived. House looked baffled.

"You're home early."

"And hello to you, too." Avery bent down to kiss House. "I've got a little surprise for you."

House immediately turned his head to David. "Bye, Jeeves."

Avery rolled her eyes in amusement. "Not that kind of surprise, you crazy man."

"Damn." House looked vaguely disappointed. "Oh well. As you were."

"I got a phone call from the bank today. How do you feel about closing on the condo?"

"Seriously?" House's face lit in a smile.

"Seriously. We've got an appointment in…" Avery checked her watch. "…about twenty minutes."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go sign our lives away."

David hung back, watching the couple interact. They were good for each other, and clearly adored each other. He wondered if that was what had driven House to visit his brain guy.

"If you guys don't need me…"

"Nope. Get out of here. Call that girl I hooked you up with." House grinned as he waved David away.

"Girl?" Avery was immediately interested.

"I'll tell you about it on the way." House glanced at David. "See you in the morning…if you don't get…distracted."

David grinned, taking out his phone and scrolling through his contacts as he left. "I'll be here. Don't worry. "

"You'd better!" House shouted out the door. "I'd look kind of stupid cruising chicks on my own!" He felt Avery nudge his chair. "What?"

Avery shook her head at House's antics. "You are a hot mess. Leave that poor boy alone. We've got places to go."

House slid from the chair to the car, and Avery folded the chair to put it in the back seat, finally climbing into the driver's seat and starting the car.

Avery watched House as she drove. He seemed calmer, content to lean back against the seat and close his eyes.

"You look better."

House's eyes popped open, and he glanced over at Avery with a slight smile. "Yeah, it was a good day. Went for a run with David, played wingman for him, saw my brain guy…"

"A run?"

"Well…he ran, I rolled. You get the idea." House chuckled. "He was trying to convince me to do a marathon in a wheelchair. Something's not right with that kid."

Avery shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't seem like such a crazy idea."

House fixed her with a hard look. "It is for me. Not going to happen. _Anyway._" He huffed in annoyance and continued. "When we got to the park, we were…people watching, and this girl kept running by us. So…I called her out on it, introduced her to David, they exchanged phone numbers, and hopefully he'll have the sense to get together with her."

"Nicely done."

"Thank you. Seems a shame to let all this charm go to waste."

Avery laughed and rolled her eyes. "Just remember to use your power for good, never for evil."

# # #

She pulled into the bank parking lot, making sure House got safely out of the car and into the chair. They met with the loan officer, signing paper after paper. House growled something about developing writers' cramp, and even asked the loan officer if she required a blood sample. The loan officer was oddly unamused by House's behavior.

Soon they were done, and the loan officer gave them a copy of their mortgage paperwork. House pored over it once they were back in the car, studying every word and number.

"Damn." House muttered thoughtfully. "It's really happening now, isn't it?"

"Yep. October first, that bad boy is all our problem." Avery laughed at House's stunned expression. "Are you okay?"

House nodded, the stunned expression giving way to an ever widening smile. "I am. This is kind of cool."

Avery smiled warmly. This was as close to full-on enthusiasm as she had ever seen from House. "Are you hungry?"

"Of course. All that paper signing takes a lot out of a guy. I could go for some Chinese."

"Sounds good." Avery turned at the next street toward the nearest Chinese restaurant. "Take out or eat in?"

House grinned, a teasing glint in his eye. "Take out now…eat in…later. If you know what I mean." House pretended to ponder this. "Maybe I have that confused. Hmm."

Avery laughed loudly. "What did I tell you about using your powers for evil?"

"You won't be saying that later."

Avery pulled into the parking lot, shutting off the car and leaning over to press a soft, long kiss on House's lips. "And you won't be saying much of anything later."

"Mmm…I smell a challenge." House pulled Avery to him by the nape of her neck, inhaling deeply and brushing his lips against her neck. "Nope, that's just your perfume." He continued kissing down her neck, lingering at the base. "Could always skip dinner."

"Right, and listen to you complain later? I don't think so." Avery ran her fingers through House's hair before pulling away.

"No complaints here."

"Think about it." Avery tilted her head to look at House. "If I feed you now…you won't be distracted later."

"The woman makes sense. Knew there was a reason I kept you around."

The couple went into the restaurant, deciding to stay and eat. Avery was surprised, since House was usually uncomfortable being seen in public in the wheelchair. Soon they were seated, falling into their comfortable routine of stealing food off each other's plates, chatting and laughing as if they had been together forever.

House watched Avery from across the table, an affectionate expression on his face. Avery looked up from her plate, vaguely amused.

"What's up, baby?"

"Nothing. Just looking." House returned to his plate, shoving his food around. He debated whether to talk about his counseling appointment with her. Finally he lifted his head to look Avery in the eye. "You're still with me. Why?"

Avery looked confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"

House shrugged. "Don't know. I kind of figured…you'd eventually figure out what a jackass I am and move on."

Avery set down her chopsticks, giving House all of her attention. "You can be a jackass sometimes. No question." She reached across the table to take House's hand. "You are also kind, caring, attentive, passionate…shall I go on, or am I embarrassing you?"

House rolled his eyes. "I'm blushing here."

"I'm serious." Avery leaned across the table as far as she could, looking at House with those intense coffee brown eyes. "You're a good man, Greg. Someday I hope you'll believe that, too."

House's mouth quirked in a half smile, partially hidden by his hand. "I feel pretty good right now. Does that count?"

Avery laughed softly. "That'll do for now." She looked across to House's plate. "You going to eat that?"

House scowled. "_Yes_. And that's my line." He immediately reached across to snag a piece of orange chicken from Avery's plate, earning a smack on the hand from her chopsticks. "Now _that's_ how you do that. Easier to ask forgiveness than for permission."

Avery returned in kind, popping a piece of Mongolian beef in her mouth. "Kind of like that?"

House rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "You're too damn smart. Crazy woman."

"Your own fault. Shouldn't try to teach this old dog new tricks."

"You're definitely not old. Or a dog." House suddenly looked serious. "You're beautiful, brilliant, put up with all my insanity…and I love you for it." He grabbed her hand and planted a soft kiss on it. "Can't wait to shack up with you, woman."

"Same here." Avery took a fortune cookie, passing one to House. "Ready to go?"

"I was the one who wanted to skip dinner, remember? I can't believe you're even asking that."

"Right, how silly of me." Avery rose, walking ahead of House. She could have sworn she felt him pat her rear on their way out. This could prove to be a fun night for them both.

# # #

**You know what happens next. Read and review. I'll keep writing. :)**


	50. I Dream Myself Alive

**Took a while, but I finally got another chapter done. Enjoy, and remember that I own very little of this.**

# # #

Avery pulled up in front of House's apartment, turning off the car and killing the headlights. House had been teasing her the entire drive, and Avery had every intention of calling him on it.

She leaned over, lightly caressing his scruffy cheek, and planted a soft kiss on his lips. House responded by wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, pressing back with greater force.

They broke apart, and House studied Avery's face, stroking her caramel-colored cheek with his thumb, losing himself in her coffee brown eyes.

Avery tilted her head at him, taking in the bright blue eyes, the roughly chiseled face, the scruff. "What's on your mind?"

House snorted. "Like you don't know."

"Just checking." Avery laughed softly.

House pulled Avery to him, and she nearly fell on top of him. She giggled and kissed him harder, hearing him growl beneath her.

"Babe…" House gave Avery an intense, serious look. "My…_love_ is bigger than this Subaru…if you know what I mean."

"You did not just say that." Avery groaned and laughed at House. "That was bad."

The glint returned to House's eyes as a slow grin spread across his face. "But you love me anyway."

"Of course I do." Avery kissed House on the forehead. "Now then…about those old dogs and new tricks…"

# # #

House followed Avery into the apartment, watching her delicious figure sway in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to pull her to him and take her right there in the hallway, limitations be damned. Instead he rolled himself over to the couch, easing himself out of the chair and stretching out along the couch's length, listening to Avery wander around the apartment.

She soon returned, dressed in a clingy tank top and sleep shorts that showed off her long legs, and she bent down on her knees next to the couch, one arm languidly stretched across House's chest, her head resting on her arm.

"What are you doing down there?" House tilted his head and studied Avery as he stroked her hair.

"Oh…nothing." Avery's face was all innocence as she lifted her head and slipped a soft hand under House's t-shirt, spreading it along his ribcage.

He growled in response, drawing Avery in for a rough, passionate kiss, one hand finding its way up the back of her tank, enjoying the softness underneath. House guided her so that she straddled him and moved both hands around under her shirt, pushing it up and over her head and laying it aside.

Avery fixed House with a seductive smile, sliding her hands under his t-shirt, raking her fingers through his rough chest hair, finding his nipples in the process. His sharp intake of breath told her that she was on the right track, and he quickly worked his way out of the shirt, dropping it over the side of the couch to join hers. Avery started a trail of slow, soft kisses, starting at the base of his neck and ending just above his belt buckle.

"_Fuck me_." House cursed softly, squirming under Avery's ministrations.

"That's the idea, baby." Her voice was equally soft as she worked his belt loose, slowly unbuttoning his jeans and slipping her hand just inside to caress him along his waist. He arched his back in response, stroking Avery's smooth back before placing both hands around her waist and pulling her back up to face him.

She leaned down to kiss him, pushing her tongue into his mouth, bracing herself against his shoulders. House mumbled something Avery couldn't quite understand, and she pulled away for a moment.

"You say something?"

"I said…'ow, my shoulder'." House looked pained and amused at the same time.

Avery was mortified. "Sorry, baby." She shifted so that only her forearms rested on House's shoulders, going in for another long kiss. "Better?"

"Much." House looked serious, stroking Avery's cheek with his palm. "Where were we?"

"Right about…" Avery planted a kiss on House's neck. "Here."

"And…here?" House's hands slowly moved under the waistband of her shorts, feeling nothing but bare skin beneath.

"Mmm-hmm…" Avery murmured, continuing downward to where she was before, slowly unzipping him.

House awkwardly pushed himself to a sitting position, raising himself slightly so Avery could wrestle his jeans and boxers down, settling around his ankles. She settled on top of him, slipping him inside her and finding a steady rhythm.

He held her close, holding her tighter as he tensed, soon relaxing inside her. Avery fell against him, silent for a moment as she wrapped herself around House, kissing his neck.

"Stop that, woman." House chuckled, his voice still rough. "I can't handle another round tonight."

"Poor baby." Avery laughed along with him, finally climbing off him and gathering up her clothes.

"It's true. I don't want to have to explain to Roger why I'm so damned tired tomorrow." House shivered slightly. "That man will kick my ass."

"Well…we wouldn't want that." Avery bent down to kiss House on the forehead. "I'm hitting the shower and heading for bed. Coming along?"

"I'll be there." House shifted enough to pull up his boxers and jeans, not bothering with fastening them. He leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. His shoulder was hurting more than he wanted to let on. He rubbed it, feeling around the injured area, checking for any additional damage.

Finally House maneuvered himself into the wheelchair, rolling toward the bathroom. Just because he _said _he wasn't up for another round didn't mean he couldn't be convinced otherwise. He grinned to himself when he heard Avery singing softly while the shower ran. A little good clean fun never hurt anyone, after all…

# # #

It was much later than usual before House and Avery finally made it to bed that night. House's body was exhausted, but his mind was still working over the day's events. He never had gotten around to telling Avery about his visit with Phillip, and he still wondered if he should bother.

She stirred next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder. House pulled her closer, and she slid her leg over his, mindful of the scar on his thigh. He sighed deeply, figuring now was as good a time as any.

"You still awake, babe?"

"Mm-hm. You need something?" Avery's voice was sleepy, but tinged with concern.

House started playing with Avery's hair, as much out of nerves as anything else. "Did I mention my brain guy thing?"

Avery was silent for a moment, and House thought that she had fallen asleep on him. "Hmm…Yes, I seem to remember you mentioning that. So…?" She tread carefully, not wanting to push House too hard. That was a sure way to get him to shut down.

"So…" House considered how to proceed. He didn't want to tell everything. He trusted Avery, but there was always going to be some things he would keep to himself. "It wasn't as horrible as I thought."

"That's good."

"Yeah." House continued to play with Avery's soft hair. "I'm thinking about making it a regular thing…at least for a while."

Avery smiled against House's shoulder. "Sounds like a very good thing. We've got lots of changes going on, you know?"

"Yep." House dropped a kiss on Avery's head. "Good to know I'm not going it alone…you know."

Avery lifted her head to look at House. "You're definitely not alone. Not by a long shot." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "And if I have anything to say about it…you're not going to be alone for a good long time."

"Also good to know." House wrapped his arms around Avery, returning her head to his shoulder. He was surprised at the rough tone in his voice, his emotional giveaway. Oddly enough, he didn't feel the need to cover it up. "Guess we're stuck with each other, huh?"

Avery chuckled sleepily. "Guess so, baby. I could think of worse people to get stuck with."

"Me too." House closed his eyes, feeling himself drifting off, Avery's warm body solidly curled up beside him. He had long since gotten used to the physical feeling of having her next to him. That part had been easy. The emotional feeling of safety and security that he felt with Avery, though…that was new to House. He had truly believed that he had hardened his heart until Avery came along. Letting her in had been one of the smarter things he had done in his life.

A familiar laugh interrupted his thoughts. House turned to see Amber sitting in a chair, one leg crossed over the other, swiveling from side to side, regarding him coolly.

"Oh, House." Amber smirked at him. "Still living the fantasy? I thought we were smarter than that."

House smirked back. "_We_ are not living out anything. _You_ don't seem to recognize simple reality."

"Oh, that is _rich_. The whole twisted reality thing is why I showed up in the first place. _Someone _had to set you straight. You should be grateful."

"Mmm…nope. Not feeling any gratitude here. All you've done lately is mess with my head." House strode purposefully over to where Amber was sitting, leaning down to face her. "Time for you to go."

Amber looked shocked. "You can't just…dismiss me. I _am_ you."

"I don't think so." House studied Amber. "You're old news, Amber. History. I don't need you anymore."

Amber narrowed her eyes, glaring at House. "You'll regret this, House. One day, that woman will leave you, and you'll be alone again. You'll wish I was still around then."

"She's not going anywhere, Amber." House heard another familiar voice and felt a hand on his shoulder. Kutner was standing behind him, in an almost defensive pose. "Not now, not ever."

Kutner walked around House, getting between he and Amber. "I think you've been fired…again." Kutner put out his hand, and a flash of light left his palm, hitting Amber directly in the chest and pushing her over. She screamed out as she disappeared, her voice fading away into the darkness.

"Why didn't I think of that?" House muttered to himself as Kutner stood back, looking at his palm in surprise.

A slow smile came over his face. "That was kind of cool." He turned his hand over, examining it carefully before raising it again, closing his eyes and scrunching up his face in concentration.

"Stop that!" House glared at Kutner. Even in his dreams, Kutner could be an idiot. "Why are you still here, anyway? Cutthroat Bitch is gone."

Kutner shrugged. "I don't know. You tell me."

House pondered this for a moment, then broke into a chuckle, holding out a hand to Kutner. "Time for you to go, too."

Kutner carefully extended his own hand, mostly hoping that flash of light wouldn't shoot out of it again. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." The two men shook hands, and House awkwardly put an arm around Kutner. "Go haunt Taub or something."

Kutner put a hand on House's shoulder, looking him directly in the eye with a serious expression. "Guess this is goodbye, then."

"This is definitely goodbye." House stood back, still facing Kutner. Kutner started to fade away before House's eyes, waving a little, a slightly sad smile on his face.

"Take care of yourself…."

House's eyes drifted open, blinking in the gray light of early morning. Avery shifted beside him, sensing his movement.

"Everything okay, baby?"

House smiled to himself, pulling Avery closer to him. "Everything's fine, babe. Go back to sleep."

For once in his life, House actually meant it.

# # #

Avery awakened to the sounds of House crashing around the apartment, muttering to himself. She flew out of bed, wrapping her robe around her and making her way down the hallway. There was no telling what she would run into when she got to him.

House was on the floor in front of the closet, and at first Avery thought he had fallen out of the chair. Her eyes soon focused, and she saw that he was digging through the closet, looking for something.

"What are you looking for?"

House turned his head at Avery's exasperated tone. "Thought I had a pair of crutches in here somewhere."

Avery rolled her eyes and turned toward the kitchen. "Never mind. I don't even want to know what you're thinking this time."

"Yeah, some coffee would be great, babe. Thanks!" House hollered after Avery's retreating form. He resumed his expedition through his closet, wincing in pain from leaning so heavily on his right knee. Finally he sat back, maneuvering himself so that his legs were stretched out in front of him, leaning back on his hands.

He turned his head when he heard David's familiar knock at the door, and Avery smoothly crossed the room to let him in. He dropped his backpack at the door, tilting his head when he saw House.

"What are you doing, Doc?"

House rolled his eyes. "Playing hide-and-seek, obviously. Looks like you found me." He motioned David over. "Help a brother out, will you?"

David lifted House enough for him to get a leg under himself and he put himself back in the chair, rolling to the dining room table, collecting the notes he had scattered all over. Avery wandered out of the kitchen with two coffee cups, setting one down near House.

"Morning, David. Coffee's on."

"Morning, Doctor Matthews." David went off to the kitchen to fix his own cup of coffee, leaving Avery and House in the dining room.

She sat at the table, watching him work while she sipped her coffee. After a few minutes, he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm not getting anywhere with this. Guess I'll take it with me when I head up to the hospital later."

"I can take it with me and drop it off to the team." Avery offered.

House grinned, gathering the stack of notes and sticking them in a file folder. "Thank you, my darling enabler."

Avery rolled her eyes and took the file, sticking it in her bag. "Of course. Besides, if you take them yourself, you'll try to spend the rest of the day there. Don't think I don't know you."

"I take back what I said." House harrumphed loudly. "You're back on the naughty list."

"Mm-hm. I can live with that." Avery kissed him on the lips. "Love you."

"Yeah, love you too...I guess." House stuck his tongue out at Avery as she left.

"Did you seriously just stick your tongue out at her?" David sat at the same chair Avery had just vacated, an amused expression on his face. "What are you, twelve?"

"Yes, I am. Clever disguise, no?"

"Brilliant, Doc." David chuckled as he sipped his coffee. "Anything going on beside PT today?"

"Nope." House drained his cup and nodded toward the closet. "I know there's a set of crutches in there somewhere. Find them."

David threw House a skeptical look. "Making plans?"

"Yes." House glared at David. "Just find the damn things, would you?"

David was a little baffled at House's insistence. It wasn't as if he would be able to use them anytime soon. He shook his head and started digging through the closet. Behind about ten pairs of running shoes, a lacrosse stick, and several canes David found a set of golf clubs.

"These your clubs?" David hollered out.

House scowled, rolling over near the closet. "You can have them. I sure as hell don't have any use for them."

David ignored House and kept digging, finally finding two sets of crutches. "Looks like it's a two-for-one deal today."

He pulled out the metal set first, and House rolled his eyes. "Put those damn things back. I'll take the other pair."

David started to voice his concern, then wisely decided against it. Arguing with House would not only be pointless, it just seemed like a bad way to start the day. He handed them off to House, who immediately started fiddling with them.

House looked up to see David watching him, arms folded across his chest. He stopped for a moment, staring back at David.

"You're not going to stop me?"

"Stop you from what?"

House huffed in annoyance. "Stop me from doing something dangerous, stupid, or crazy."

David shrugged. "If you do something that hampers your recovery, that's on you." He bent down in front of House's chair. "You know yourself, and you know your body. You've got a hell of a lot more control over this thing than you think you do."

House sat back in the chair, looking thoughtful. Finally he nodded firmly, handing the wooden crutches back to David. He turned and wheeled back to the dining room, picking up his backpack. "Grab the metal ones. I'll have a little chat with Roger when I go to PT."

"Right." David slung the crutches over his shoulder. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." House started to roll toward the door. "So…did you get together with that girl?"

David smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise." House rolled his eyes. "So…did you or didn't you?"

"I'll tell you about it on the way."

House chuckled to himself. This should be a very entertaining ride today.

# # #

**This is the part where you read and review me. Push the button. :)**


	51. You Can't Always Get What You Want

**Finally back with a new chapter. As usual, I don't own any of the House stuff, just the cavalcade of O/Cs.**

# # #

Roger could hear the voices of the two men before they ever entered the room. They were engaged in conversation regarding the kid's date the previous night.

"You dog!" House crowed as he wheeled in. "I'm proud of you, kid."

David rolled his eyes as he followed, carrying a set of metal crutches over his shoulder. "We just went for coffee. It wasn't that big a deal."

"Yeah…for five hours." House snorted. "I hope you left a fat tip."

"Yes, Doc. I even walked her to the door and made gosh darn sure she made it back in time for curfew."

Roger watched the two men banter and parry as they approached. "Morning, Doc. I see you brought company today."

"Well…he was telling me all about his hot date. I couldn't just let him leave me hanging. Also, " House added, "I found these in the back of my closet. I was thinking I could start working with them a little."

Roger frowned. "A lot of that's going to depend on how your shoulder's healing. If that's all good, and your right leg's feeling strong…maybe."

House looked annoyed and vaguely disappointed as Roger worked him through a series of range of motion exercises for his shoulder. It twinged slightly, no surprise considering that Avery had pressed on it so hard the other night, but other than that, it felt fine to House.

Roger wasn't so easily convinced. He watched House's wincing reaction to the exercises, noting the still-limited range of motion. It was steadily improving, but he still had a ways to go. Roger decided to start House on his leg work before making any decisions. It would help if he could get a hold of Doctor Chase for a full consultation, but Roger knew that would be unlikely.

After a second set of exercises for his shoulder, House sat in the wheelchair, scowling as he rubbed his shoulder. "You did that on purpose."

"I assure you that I didn't." Roger made notes on House's chart. "You've come a long way in a short time, but you're not there yet. You could reinjure yourself if you try to support your full weight on crutches. It's just a bad idea, Doc. Sorry."

House's face settled into that brooding expression that both Roger and David were so familiar with. He took the clipboard from Roger, looking it over before signing it and setting it in his lap. "See you Friday."

"Bye, Doc." House was gone before the words came out of Roger's mouth. David sent a quick wave at Roger, following House out of the room, carrying those crutches.

This was the part of the job that bothered Roger. It wasn't always good news for his patients, that was for sure. Setbacks, frustrations, impatience, and emotional outbursts were not uncommon. For his part, he would have been thrilled to let House out of that wheelchair. He could see that House was a man that valued his independence, and it galled him to have a "babysitter", as he snarkily referred to David.

The simple facts were that House was healing and recovering right on time. It just wasn't as fast as House wanted it to be. Roger hoped that the kid could keep him from doing something too foolish. He doubted that House would want to do anything to jeopardize his recovery. Doing so might set back his as-yet unplanned wedding to that fine Doctor Matthews even further, and Roger was pretty damn sure House didn't want to do that.

Friday would be a new day. Perhaps House would be in a better mood by then. Somehow Roger wasn't too hopeful.

# # #

House looked irritated again as he handed the clipboard to the receptionist. He kept glaring at David and the crutches that he had casually swung over his shoulder, barely speaking to him all the way to the elevators.

He punched the up button and waited. David's voice broke the silence.

"Who are you visiting?"

"None of your damned business." House growled, wheeling himself onto the elevator, David following close behind. "Oh, for Christ's sake! Is there anywhere you _won't_ follow me?!"

"Consider me your friendly neighborhood stalker." David took House's bad mood in stride as the rode up to the fourth floor. "Hmm…so it's either Doctor Wilson, Doctor Matthews, or your team. You see Doctor Matthews every night, so I don't think it's her, and it's too early to catch Doctor Wilson for lunch."

"Just checking up on some things that Avery brought to them this morning, that's all." House's tone was deceptively mild. "I'll touch base, and then we'll leave, okay?"

"Fine." David's pocket vibrated, and he pulled out his phone, finding a new text from Kelly. A slow grin overtook his face, and he quickly started texting back to her.

House noted the activity. "You know…stalking over a cell phone…is still stalking."

David chuckled. "Hey, she texted me first. Wants me to go to a party that her friend is throwing tonight." He batted his eyelashes at House, much to the amusement of the other passengers. "Can I go, Dad, _please_?"

House growled and glared at the younger man. "What did I tell you about that father figure crap?"

David ignored House's snappish attitude and continued to text away. Soon they arrived at the fourth floor, and the two men exited the elevator, heading toward diagnostics.

The team was sitting at the conference room table, poring over the case file, the whiteboard covered with symptoms. House grinned inwardly and backed into the door, pushing it open with his chair.

"Come on in, kid." He gestured to David. "This is where the magic happens."

David snorted and followed House. It _would_ be kind of cool to see how House worked.

"Morning, kids." House's voice boomed out as he pushed his way through. "Miss me?"

Three sets of eyes regarded House skeptically. Finally the black guy spoke up. "Does Cuddy know you're here?"

"Not yet. And if you don't say anything, she won't." House turned to David. "This is Foreman. He's sort of running the place when I'm not here…and doing a piss-poor job of it, apparently." House rolled over to the whiteboard, studying the list of symptoms. "Did you guys even _bother_ to look over the file I sent with Matthews this morning?"

Foreman scowled and folded his arms over his chest. "Yes, and we've ruled a lot of it out. Go home. We've got this handled."

Three pagers went off at once as Foreman finished speaking. House sat back in his chair, a smug look on his face. "Yeah, clearly you've got this all figured out."

The three doctors rushed out of the room, leaving House and David alone in the conference room. House rolled back and forth with his foot, pondering the list of seemingly unconnected symptoms.

David leaned against the wall, watching House. "So who's Cuddy?"

"The Evil Witch, the Dragon Lady, the bane of my existence…also known as my boss."

Taub came rushing back in before House could continue. "Patient's stable, but now we've got a new symptom. Rectal bleeding."

"Ah…an old favorite." House scribbled it on the whiteboard. "Set the patient up for a colonoscopy."

"Already did one. The results were inconclusive."

House rolled his eyes. "Don't make me say it."

Taub sighed and rolled his eyes almost imperceptively. "I'll go set it up. Anything else I should redo?"

House studied the board. "Not yet, but stay tuned."

Taub left, and House returned to perusing the case file. "There's got to be something we're missing…"

David noticed a petite brunette woman striding confidently down the hallway in front of House's office, pushing open the door to the conference room. "Uh…Doc..?"

"House! What are you doing here?!"

House spun in his chair to face the voice. "Cuddles! I've missed you."

"Oh, no you don't. You're not charming your way out of this one." Cuddy put her hands on her hips, glaring at House. "You're still officially on medical leave. Why are you here?"

"Consult. You can see the kids aren't getting anywhere without me." House gestured toward the nearly full whiteboard.

Cuddy pursed her lips and looked exasperated. "Go home, House. Just…go home."

House looked hurt and angry. "You trying to tell me I'm not needed? That Foreman can run this place by himself? You're an idiot." He rolled to the door, nearly running over Cuddy's toes.

"That's not what I'm saying and you know it." Cuddy followed close behind House as he flung the door open and rolled through. David quickly picked up the crutches and House's backpack and ran to catch up to the arguing duo.

"Then what the hell _are_ you saying?" House suddenly stopped in the hallway and turned to face Cuddy.

"I told you to call me when you were ready to come back." Cuddy folded her arms across her chest. "All I'm asking is that you be honest with me. I know that's a foreign concept to you."

House drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair. He suddenly found himself feeling indecisive. Coming back to work sounded like a great idea in theory, but he wasn't sure he could handle the kind of hours that it required.

Finally he shrugged. "I guess…maybe we could talk about it. You got some time?"

A slow smile graced Cuddy's face. "As a matter of fact, I do. Shall we?"

"After you." House gestured for Cuddy to walk in front of him. He poked David to grab his attention as she strode down the hallway. "Not a bad view, is it?"

David chuckled and shook his head. "You are unbelievable. Just go talk to her." He had to admit that Doctor Cuddy was pretty fine, though.

"I am, I am. Doesn't mean I can't admire the scenery on the way."

"Right." David was glad to see House's mood lift a bit. Maybe he could work something out with Cuddy. It sounded like something that would be good for all involved.

# # #

Cuddy was seated behind her desk working her way through some paperwork when she heard House and David roll in. She fixed them both with a warm smile, inviting them in.

David moved a chair out of the way so that House could roll himself in front of Cuddy's desk. House twisted his fingers in his lap, rolling back and forth with his right foot. If Cuddy didn't know better, she'd say he looked…nervous.

Cuddy leaned forward, folding her hands together, clearing her throat to get House's attention. She glanced over at David, who was standing nervously behind House's chair.

"You can wait outside. We won't be long."

"The kid stays." House snapped. "We're practically joined at the hip. He should know what's going on, too."

"Fine." Cuddy gave David a pointed look. "Sit."

David immediately sat in the chair next to House. Cuddy was a tiny woman, but intimidating as hell. No wonder House looked so nervous.

"So." Cuddy turned that same pointed look towards House. "Your presence here tells me that you _want_ to be here. You'll understand if I find that a bit…strange."

"I know." House spoke quietly, still avoiding eye contact with Cuddy. He continued to roll back and forth, the best substitute for pacing he had at the moment. "Thing is…I'm all caught up on my soap, there are no good monster truck rallies on during the day, and…" He finally looked up to face Cuddy, who was regarding him skeptically. "Fine, screw it, I'm _bored_. No offense, kid."

"None taken." David chuckled a little under his breath.

Cuddy's lips curved in a small smile. "I thought you might be when you were doing consults from your hospital bed. Okay, here's the deal. I will officially schedule you for fifteen hours. They will be clinic hours unless diagnostics has a case."

"Oh, you're sneaky." House turned to David again. "I told you she was the devil."

"House, there is no reason you can't work clinic from that thing. And you'll only be serving diagnostics in a consulting capacity. Foreman will continue to be in charge, and he will contact you for any and all consults. No more of this sneaking around, got it?"

House scowled and leaned back in his chair, still rolling back and forth. Finally he puffed out his cheeks. "Fine. I agree to your terms. Guess I'll get started."

"Monday. You'll start Monday." Cuddy cut him off before he could get out the door. "I expect you to sign in to the clinic first thing. And I _will_ be checking the log. Don't even think about trying to convince any of your people to do it for you. They will be well aware of our agreement."

"Wow, it's like you know me or something." House mocked Cuddy.

"I'm pretty sure I've seen all your little tricks by now, House." Cuddy rose to see House and David out, placing a hand on House's shoulder. "See you bright and early Monday morning."

"If by 'bright and early', you mean ten o'clock, then yes, I'll be here."

"I'll be watching for you."

"Love you too, Cuddles." House called out over his shoulder as he and David left her office. "Clinic duty. I can't believe she tricked me like that. Of course…" House's eyes suddenly lit up. "I've found some interesting cases through the clinic…"

David smiled as he listened to House think out loud. Things were about to get interesting again. Very interesting.

# # #

**You know the deal by now. Read and review, and I'll keep the party going. :)**


	52. Freedom's Finally Mine

**Insert my usual disclaimers and stuff here. I don't own anything but the cast of O/Cs, blah, blah, blah. Enjoy. :)**

# # #

House's eyes popped open when he felt something bump his Eames chair. He blinked and finally focused on the figure in front of him. It was Avery, regarding him with an amused expression on her face.

"Does Cuddy know you're up here?"

House rolled his eyes and leaned back further in the chair. "Don't worry, I have a real case…Well, the team has a case. I'm just 'consulting'."

Avery laughed softly and sat down on the footstool, patting House's still-encased leg. "So you're consulting in your sleep. That's talent, baby."

House chuckled and nudged Avery back. "What can I say? I'm _that_ good."

Before Avery could answer, her phone chimed with an incoming message. She casually flipped open her phone, a smile slowly creeping onto her face. She quickly texted the caller back, her eyes darting between House and her phone.

House was immediately curious, watching Avery during the entire exchange. Finally Avery handed the phone to House. "Check this out."

House studied the image on the phone, smirking to himself and shaking his head. "Looks like there's a little kangaroo hopping around inside Cameron. I'll be damned." He quickly texted a response to Cameron, closed the phone, and handed it back to Avery.

Avery looked a bit pensive as she fiddled with her phone. House tilted his head, studying her. "Something wrong, babe?"

Avery sighed a little before smiling wanly. "Did I tell you Alice is pregnant, too?"

_Alice…Alice…I should know this one…_ "Your brother's wife?"

"Yes."

"Damn…the world's all baby crazy all of a sudden." House looked thoughtful, then a horrified expression crossed his face. "You…"

"No!" Avery's eyes grew wide. "It's just…I don't know…" She turned the phone over in her hands, finally raising her head to meet House's eyes. "You ever feel like you've had all your options taken away from you?"

House gestured to his right leg. "Is that a serious question?"

"Good point." Avery's mouth quirked upward. "I never wanted children. Ever. It was a major bone of contention in more than a few relationships."

"And now…?" House wasn't quite following.

Avery sighed and shrugged. "If you wanted kids, you could easily hook up with some younger woman and be done with it. I don't have that option."

House reached out to cover Avery's hand with his own. "Don't you think I would have done that already? Jesus, it's like you don't even know me."

"You still could."

"When did you become me? I'm the insecure one in this relationship, remember?"

"Right. How silly of me." Avery rose from the footstool to press a kiss to House's lips.

"Mmm…" House grabbed the nape of Avery's neck and pushed his tongue into her mouth, taking his sweet time with her before finally breaking away. "And this is why I'm with you. You know…there's a lot to be said for an experienced woman." He briefly kissed her once more, stroking her cheek. "Better now?"

"I think so." Avery rose and started toward House's office door. "Ready to head for home?"

"Nope, not yet. I've got a thing with the ortho. I'll see you at home."

Avery look baffled. "How are you getting home?"

"David's meeting me. I've got it covered, don't worry so damn much." House shifted from the chair to his wheelchair, rolling over to the desk to grab his backpack.

"Okay…I guess I'll see you at home, then." Avery wrinkled her brow in concern. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

House grinned conspiratorially. "Yes, there is. You'll just have to wait."

"I hope it's a good surprise." Avery pushed through the office door and turned toward her own.

"Oh, believe me, babe." House murmured to himself. "You _will _like this one." He grinned inwardly as he rolled out of his office for what he hoped would be the last time.

# # #

David was waiting for House in the hallway just outside the orthopedist's office, the metal crutches casually slung over his shoulder.

"Big day, Doc." David smiled a little as he held the door for House to roll through.

"Sure is." House was on edge as he entered the office. Chase and Roger were both waiting for him as he rolled in. "Well damn, if I'd known this was a party…"

"We just wanted to make arrangements for the next stage of your physical therapy, that's all." Chase chuckled at his former boss's mocking tone. He looked around, puzzled. "Where's Matthews?"

"Homeward bound. It's supposed to be a surprise."

Chase smirked slightly to himself. House's demeanor was completely different whenever Matthews' name was mentioned. If he didn't know better, he'd say that House had…not necessarily _softened_, but he had definitely mellowed somewhat. House was still House, but better.

The receptionist sent House into the exam room, and Evans already had House's most recent films on the lightbox, comparing them to the originals from the accident. Except for the surgical pins, one could hardly tell any damage had been done at all.

"Looks like this is our last meeting, House."

"Can't say I'm sorry, either."

Evans laughed softly. "Same here. Let's get you up on the table and get that thing off you."

House shifted from the chair toward the exam table, grudgingly accepting assistance from Evans. While Evans was readying his equipment, House made quick work of his jeans and lay back on the table, tensing up slightly in anticipation.

He closed his eyes, barely hearing the whirring sound of the saw as it quickly cut through the cast that encased his leg from hip to foot. Evans removed the cast, and House grinned slightly as he felt the cool air of the exam room hit his now bare leg.

"You'll probably have some stiffness, but you should be able to work that out as part of your PT." Evans poked his head out of the exam room door and motioned for Roger and Chase to come in.

"Bring the kid in here, too." House slipped his jeans back on, slowly attempting to flex his stiff joints. Christ, he felt older than usual. Roger chuckled at him as he observed House's movements.

"It feels strange at first. Keep doing what you're doing. You should see some improvement soon." Roger explained. "Once we get you back on that leg press machine, we'll give your left leg some extra emphasis to help it catch up to your right."

"Just answer the fifty thousand dollar question. Do I get to leave that damn chair behind today or not?" House sat up, dangling his legs over the edge of the table, awaiting a response. "_Today_, people. Got a little something-something waiting for me at home, if you know what I mean."

David snorted, Chase rolled his eyes, Roger looked amused, and Evans just looked stunned. Finally Evans seemed to snap back, examining the films one more time.

"If your right leg can support you, I see no reason why you can't switch over to the crutches." Evans glanced over to Chase, who nodded in agreement. " Just keep the chair as a back-up plan for a while." Evans pulled out a full leg support designed to go over his jeans. "Use this to help support your left leg any time you're on the crutches. Other than that…" Evans held out a hand to House. "…have a nice life."

House smiled slightly as he shook the orthopedist's outstretched hand. "Same to you. And…" His voice dropped to a near whisper. "…thanks for...you know. Everything."

Evans smiled a little as he signed off on House's chart. House's demeanor was completely unexpected, and Evans thought he might actually miss the older doctor.

"Okay, kids, let's get this show on the road." House was already wrapping his leg and motioning for David to hand him the crutches.

"Hold on, House." Chase folded his arms across his chest and scowled at House. "We've still got a treatment plan to work out."

"Later. Right now I just want to go home." House casually eased himself off the exam table and onto the floor, stopping when he felt the head rush from the quick movement.

Chase immediately noticed the dizzy look in House's eyes and rushed to his side, Roger taking the other as they both steadied House on the crutches. "Alright, now we'll go nice and easy out to the waiting area, then we'll _sit_ and work things out, okay?"

"Fine." House huffed in irritation and slowly made his way to the waiting area. "But I'm getting there under my own power. Ah, ah, ah, no touchy." He scowled at Chase as he tried to help House along. "Save the warm fuzzies for your real kid."

Chase's mouth dropped open. "How…how did you know? Allie just found out this afternoon."

House smirked as he plopped down in a chair in the waiting area. "Word gets around."

"Yeah…guess it does." Chase sat next to House, leaning on his knees and staring at the floor. "I just don't know…what kind of dad I'll be. It's not as if I had such a great example to follow."

"So make your own rules. Do it your way. Between the two of you, you won't screw that little rugrat up too badly."

"Uh…thanks…I think." Chase gave House a sideways glance. "Now, about your treatment plan…"

# # #

David pulled up in front of House's apartment and parked behind Avery's car. The older man opened up the car door and dragged his crutches out of the back seat, quickly swinging his legs out of the car and positioning his crutches to heave himself out of the vehicle.

"You want me to bring the wheelchair inside?"

House sighed as he prepared to make his way up the ramp to the building. "I guess. Wouldn't kill me to keep it around." He waited for David to bring the chair before continuing. "You know…you're not fired yet. I still can't drive, and I still have appointments to get to."

"Good to know, Doc." David looked amused as he hauled the chair up the ramp and into the building. He had to admit, this wasn't the worst job he'd ever had. David actually had come to enjoy hanging out with House, whether they were playing music, running through the park, or driving around on various errands.

House motioned to David to be quiet as he opened the apartment door. He stepped in as quietly as he could, with David and the chair right behind him.

As it turned out, there was no need to be quiet. Avery was in the kitchen, her music cranked up as she fixed dinner. House could hear her singing loudly along with an old Salt N Pepa song, and he grinned at her soulful alto. He waved David out the door, quietly closing it behind him.

Slowly, painfully, House made his way to the kitchen. He waited until Avery had her back turned before clunking up behind her, lightly kissing the back of her neck.

"Hey, babe." He whispered in her ear. "I'm home."

Avery nearly jumped a mile and turned to face a grinning House. "What the…" She looked down, noticing the support wrapped around House's leg. "No more cast?"

"Nope." House leaned down to plant a firm kiss on Avery's lips. "I seem to have 'surpassed expectations', according to Chase. Pretty sure that's his way of telling me he was wrong."

"Good." Avery wrapped her arms around House's neck, pulling him in for another kiss. "Mmm…I've missed this."

"Me too, woman." House leaned against the counter, trapping Avery between his hands and brushing his lips along her neck. "How long until dinner?"

Avery laughed. "Not very if you behave yourself."

"Ooh…does this mean I get…" House placed another gentle kiss on Avery's neck. "…dessert later?"

"Anything's possible, baby." Avery tilted her head, enjoying the simple sensation of House's lips on her neck. "But nothing will happen if you don't get out of here."

"Right." House fixed her with a teasing grin and lumbered out of the kitchen. "Don't be too long."

House finally made it to the couch, ripping off the leg support before sitting down. He slowly attempted to flex his knee, wincing as he did so. He only managed to bend it somewhere around the halfway point before stopping to rub around the area, willing the damn thing to just _move_ already.

"Take it easy, baby. That thing's been immobile for eight weeks." Avery brought two plates into the living room, handing one to House.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." House rolled his eyes as he took the plate from Avery. She settled in on his left side, giving his thigh a brief squeeze before digging into her dinner.

House glanced over at Avery, appraising her from head to toe. When she tucked her hair behind her ear, House couldn't help but notice the glint of silver in the light of the living room.

"What's so funny, baby?"

House reached out to touch Avery's hair. "Nothing…just thought I spotted a couple of gray hairs in there. Probably just an optical illusion, though."

Avery laughed softly, brushing House's hand away. "After everything that's happened since we've been together, I should be as gray as you."

House's face turned somber. "So I stress you out?"

"It's not just you, you know." Avery set down her plate and turned to House. "Besides, if you were causing me nothing but stress, I wouldn't be here. You should know me better than that."

"Guess you're right…again." House's mouth quirked upward slightly. He set down his own plate and reached out to stroke Avery's cheek. "You're not going to try and cover it up, are you?"

Avery shrugged and took House's hand. "I doubt it. I mean, people grow older, they go gray, go bald, develop a few wrinkles…it's a natural thing."

"Well…if I have to grow old, gray, bald, and wrinkly with someone…I'm very glad it's you." House spoke softly, studying Avery's face. The few strands of silver and fine lines around her eyes did nothing to detract from her beauty. If anything, they enhanced it. He pulled Avery closer, touching his forehead to hers, feeling a small wave of emotion wash over him.

Avery placed a hand on House's rough cheek. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." House's voice was a little rough with emotion. "I just…I didn't picture myself growing old at all, never mind with someone." He quickly kissed her and pulled back slightly. "Thanks for sticking with me."

"You bet." Avery tilted her head and brushed a thumb down House's cheek. "I can't say life with you is boring, that's for damn sure."

House arched an eyebrow upward, smirking at Avery. "Let's see if we can keep it that way." He leaned into her, pressing Avery against the arm of the couch with a slow, lingering kiss, his tongue tangling with hers.

A small laugh escaped Avery's lips as she slid her hands under House's shirt, spreading her fingers out along his lower back. House gasped sharply in response, and Avery could feel him spring to attention.

"_Definitely_ not boring." Avery softly whispered in House's ear.

"You either." House's rough whisper sent a shiver through her. "Think I need to be not boring…elsewhere."

"Lead the way."

House reluctantly pushed himself off Avery, reaching for the leg brace. "You first. I'll be there."

Avery leaned over for one more gentle kiss before rising from the couch and heading down the hallway. Suddenly House heard the sound of running water. He grinned and heaved himself off the couch. Tonight would be anything but boring, guaranteed.

# # #

**This is the part where you read and review. You do that, I'll keep writing. :)**


	53. Loves Me Like A Rock

**Warning: Fairly heavy smut ahead. Once again, I don't own any of the House characters. Enjoy. :)**

# # #

Avery was sitting on the edge of the tub, testing the temperature, when she heard the door open. House slowly stepped in, carefully negotiating his way over to the toilet and sitting down to undo his leg brace.

He carefully stood, testing the strength of his legs. As he suspected, his left leg was completely pathetic. The right was a lot stronger, but hurt more than the left. The universe was pulling one twisted joke on House lately, and he'd had just about enough already. He huffed in frustration and sat back down, pulling his t-shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor.

"Everything okay over there?" Avery's voice carried over to him.

"Fine. Be there in a minute." House rose to his feet, using the wall to support himself as he made his way to the tub.

Avery gave him a scathing look. "I would have helped you over here if you had asked."

"If I had wanted your help, I would have asked." House snapped as he undid his jeans and dropped them, along with his boxers, to the floor. He shook them off, wincing slightly as he swung his legs over the edge of the tub, sinking into the hot water. "Why aren't you naked and in here with me?"

Avery sank to her knees beside the tub, splashing House playfully. "This is more for you than for me. I figured you could use a little soak time before…you know."

"You're always thinking. That's why I keep you around, you know." House reached out to stroke Avery's hair. "When was the last time you put yourself first?"

"Who are you to say that I'm not? If you're hurting, we won't have nearly as much fun, right?"

House actually laughed out loud at that comment, a rich, mellow sound that Avery heard rarely. "Fine, you're off the hook…for now."

"I'll be back. Just need to get something to drink."

Avery left, and House leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the heat seep into the stiff, aching joints of his left leg and the muscles of his right. Before too long, he and Avery would be moved into the condo, and he'd be making use of that whirlpool tub, hopefully for more than soaking sore body parts.

"Got room for one more?" Avery came back with a large glass of wine for herself and a Coke for House.

"Always." House shifted, flexing his knee and ankle. "I think I can finally bend this damn thing more than halfway."

"Good." Avery quickly stripped down and eased herself into the tub, relaxing into the warm water.

House patted his chest. "Right here, babe."

Avery lay against House, closing her eyes as she felt House's hands knead her shoulders. She sighed deeply and took a large sip of her wine.

"I'm not the only one who needs to be taken care of around here." House murmured as he continued to massage Avery's shoulders.

"I know." Avery sat up a little, and House moved from her shoulders to her back, feeling the smooth skin under his hands. He slipped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he sat up, pressing firm kisses all over the back of her neck, working his way around to the spot where her neck met her shoulder, leaving his mark with tongue and lips.

Avery moaned softly under House's touch, moving forward just enough to set down her wine glass, lightly raking her fingernails up his shins as she returned to lean against House. House growled at the unexpected sensation, gripping Avery tighter to him, his hands roaming up to cup her soft breasts, rolling the nipples between his fingers.

She gasped and arched her back, gripping House under his thighs, his mouth moving up her neck to her ear, his hands sliding down her stomach and into the water. Avery felt House harden behind her as she moved her hands over his thighs to stroke the inside, his muscles twitching at her touch.

Avery rolled over so that she was on her knees between House's legs, smiling seductively as her hands moved over his thighs, up his stomach, her fingers raking through his chest hair, stopping to brush her thumbs over his nipples. House arched and groaned in response, roughly pulling Avery to him, his lips crashing into hers, leaving her shaking with his intensity.

House guided Avery's body over him, giving him access to her luscious breasts once more. His large hands gently squeezed the soft flesh, his mouth capturing a nipple, lightly sucking on it while flicking it with his tongue. Avery braced one hand against the tub wall, the other grabbing the back of House's head, encouraging him further.

He moved from one breast to the other, coming back to bury his face in her softness, running his tongue up her breastbone and pressing a kiss to the spot where her collarbones met. His hands slid to her back, moving downward over the curves of her rear, pulling her ever closer to him.

Avery responded by straddling House, leaning into him for a rough kiss, pushing her tongue into his mouth, slowly rolling it around in his mouth, dueling with his. His response was obvious, and she reached down between his legs to guide him inside her.

House gripped her harder, holding her tightly to him as he pumped upward into her, hitting her sweet spot with each stroke. He felt her tighten around his shaft as she cried out, collapsing on top of him, sighing as House groaned, finally relaxing his grip on Avery.

"Damn, babe." House's voice was rough as he lightly stroked Avery's soft back. "Didn't think it could get any better."

Avery laughed softly and lightly kissed House's neck. "Just wait until we move. That whirlpool tub has a lot of…possibilities."

"You bad, bad woman." House laughed, jumping at the feel of her lips on his neck. "Such…dirty thoughts." He lifted Avery's chin to look her in the eye, a small smirk on his face as he appraised her. "I like it."

"Figured you would." Avery moved around a bit, gently kissing House on the lips before stepping out of the tub.

"Hey…where are you going?" House leaned back, watching Avery's movements.

"I can't speak for you…but I can't sleep in that tub. Water's cold." Avery rubbed her body with the towel, wrapping it around herself.

House grinned teasingly. "Can't say I noticed."

Avery chuckled and offered a hand to House. He waved her away, using the grip bar to bring himself to a standing position. Avery tossed him a towel, admiring the muscles in his upper body.

House squinted at her. "Are you checking me out, woman?"

Avery moved closer to House, watching him wrap the towel around himself. "Yes, yes I am. Got a problem with that?"

"Hell no." House wrapped an arm around Avery's shoulder as she wrapped one around his waist. Between the two of them they managed to get House out of the tub, he stepping tentatively on his left leg. He could feel it wobble under him, and a tense expression crossed his face.

Avery immediately moved closer, keeping a firm grip around House's waist. "I've got you."

"I know." House stepped out with his right leg, feeling a little more stable now that he had both legs under him. He brought Avery close to him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. "You've always got me."

"Always have, always will." Avery wrapped her arms around House's waist, placing her head against his chest, feeling his heart pound in her ear.

"Promise?" House's voice was husky with unexpressed emotion.

Avery lifted her head to look into House's brilliant blue eyes. "I promise." She whispered, pushing herself up on tiptoe to capture House's lips in a soft kiss. "Now, let's get to bed before you collapse on me."

"Right." House pulled away slightly, leaning against the wall for support. "You go ahead. I'll be there before too long."

"Okay. Holler if you need me."

"Will do." House eased himself to the edge of the tub, absentmindedly rubbing his right leg and flexing his left knee as he went over Avery's words in his mind. The woman was solid, an emotional rock. Over the last year or so, she had been a pillar of strength for him. And what, exactly, had he done in return? House wasn't convinced that his actions could hold a candle to all she had done for him.

He finally heaved himself from the edge of the tub, gingerly making his way over to the toilet, where his clothes still lay in a heap. House quickly tossed the t-shirt over his head and eased on his boxers, grabbing his crutches and lumbering toward the bedroom, forgoing the leg brace for the night.

House paused at the bedroom doorway, looking at Avery. She was already fast asleep, curled up on her side, snoring lightly. Not wanting to disturb her, he made his way in as quietly as he could, easing himself onto the mattress and setting the crutches aside.

She stirred slightly, murmuring something he couldn't quite make out. House slowly climbed in behind her, curling up to her soft, warm body, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her neck. He had missed this part most of all when he was in the cast. Now that he was able to sleep so close to her again, House was sure he never wanted to let her go.

"Babe…I've got you, babe." House couldn't resist singing softly in Avery's ear as he settled in, looping one arm over her waist and pulling her close. She giggled softly and interlaced her fingers with his, squeezing gently.

"Crazy man." Avery spoke sleepily. "Love you."

"Only crazy for you." House placed one more kiss on Avery's neck before closing his eyes, feeling sleep begin to overtake him. He felt himself drift away, still amazed at his good fortune at finding this woman. "Love you more."

Avery chuckled slightly at House's half-asleep fit of sentimentality. If most people could see what a wide romantic streak House truly possessed…it would boggle their minds. Just as well, then, that House kept these moments private. It made her cherish them all the more.

# # #

House awakened the next morning to the sounds of Avery bustling around the room, humming softly to herself. He pushed himself up onto his elbows, watching her move around, digging through drawers and tossing garments over her shoulder.

"It's the weekend, babe, what's your hurry?"

Avery turned at the sound of his voice, a puzzled expression on her face. "We've got a wedding to go to. Foreman and Hadley, remember?"

House flopped down on the bed, groaning inwardly. Foreteen had moved up their wedding date due to Thirteen's steadily worsening symptoms. She seemed to have plateaued for the time being, but the pair didn't want to waste a moment of whatever time they had left. "I guess that means I have to actually get out of bed, doesn't it?"

"Yes, baby. I might bring you coffee if you at least sit up."

"Deal." House pushed himself to a sitting position, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Avery soon walked in with two cups of coffee, handing one to House. "Mmm…perfect. Thanks, babe."

"Of course. Wedding's at noon, and it's about ten now. You might want to think about getting a move on."

"I'll think about it." House fixed Avery with a teasing grin. He reached over for his morning meds, popping a couple with his coffee. As he sipped at his coffee, he took another shot at flexing his knee and ankle. They both seemed better, and he could at least bend the knee past the halfway point. The hot soak last night definitely hadn't hurt, and further activity didn't seem to do it any harm either. Perhaps he could convince Avery to make those…other activities a part of his continuing physical therapy.

He grinned at the thought, setting down his coffee to grab his crutches. Biting back a small groan, he heaved himself up and started to make the slightly painful walk down the hallway to the bathroom. He kind of wished he hadn't left the leg brace behind the night before, but he'd manage.

House heard Avery humming in the shower as he lumbered in, taking care of business before heading over to the sink to brush his teeth and shave. Avery seemed to like the clean-shaven look when he dressed up, and he didn't figure it would hurt to look good for her.

Avery shut off the water, hearing the sound of House's electric razor. She poked her head out to see him shaving himself clean. Suppressing a small smile, she wrapped one towel around herself and another on her head and slipped over to where he stood, trapping House by placing her hands on the edge of the sink.

He finished shaving before turning around to face her, smirking at her. "You like what you see?"

Avery reached up to touch House's now smooth cheek. "Today, yes. Somehow scruff and a suit just don't go together."

House leaned against the sink, pulling Avery close and kissing her softly on the lips. "I'll remember that when it's our turn."

"Good." Avery quickly returned the kiss and looked up at him, meeting his soft blues with her own chocolate browns. "You have another date in mind?"

House's face turned serious as he stroked her cheek. "When I'm off these damn crutches and back to my cane, we'll talk. I'll be damned if I'm lumbering down the aisle on these things. Besides," He brushed his lips against her ear, whispering softly, "I want to dance with you at our wedding."

Avery immediately choked up at House's statement. "I'll wait as long as we need to. I'm not going anywhere, you big romantic lug."

House chuckled and wrapped his arms around Avery. "There you go, telling all my business again. What did I tell you about that?" He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Now let go of me, woman. I'll never be ready in time otherwise."

"Fine." Avery gave House one more quick squeeze before releasing him. "Better hurry. You've only got about an hour now."

"I'm moving, I'm moving. Don't rush me." House grinned as he prepared himself to climb into the shower. "Sure you don't want to join me? I might miss a couple spots otherwise."

"You'll be fine. Silly man." Avery laughed as she found her blow dryer.

"Some help you are." House grumbled as he climbed in and started the water. Avery could hear him humming loudly as he washed up. Suddenly she recognized the tune as Billy Idol's 'White Wedding'.

She chuckled to herself as she fired up the blow dryer, using the brush to straighten out her hair as it dried. Apparently House's sentimental streak had come to an end for now. Just as well, Avery supposed. House _did_ have a reputation to uphold, and why should today be any different?

# # #

**Okay, you know what to do. Push the little green button and tell me what you think. I'll be working away on the next chapter. :)**


	54. I Knew The Bride

**Insert usual disclaimers here. Don't own them--never have, never will. All the O/Cs are belong to me. :D**

# # #

House and Avery were seated in the small chapel next to Wilson, Wilson's date, and Cuddy, who had brought Rachel. The young child was seated next to Cuddy, swinging her little legs, a bored expression on her face.

House squirmed slightly, stretching his legs in front of him, playing with his tie. "Are they going to get this show on the road or what?" He muttered to Avery. "Looks like they're running a little behind."

"I'm sure it's fine, baby. Hadley's probably just nervous." Avery covered House's hand with her own. Between House and Rachel, the front row was liable to be a hotbed of activity today.

"Maybe one of you should check on her?" Wilson's brow wrinkled in concern.

Wilson no sooner got the words out of his mouth than Cameron appeared, bending down in front of the small group.

"Remy's freaking out." She whispered. "I can't get her to come out of the dressing room, and we're about ready to start the procession. "

Avery and Cuddy looked at each other. Of the two of them, Avery was in a better position to help out. She rose from her chair to follow Cameron. "I don't know how much good I'll do, but I'll try."

Foreman arched an eyebrow, looking worried as his eyes followed Avery and Cameron. He managed to catch House's eye, mouthing "What's going on?".

House shrugged, then waved him over. Foreman rolled his eyes in mild exasperation, not sure what outrageous thing to expect from his boss. He bent down, his deep eyes intent on House.

"This had better not be one of your stupid damn pranks, House." Foreman hissed.

"Swear to your non-existent God, it's not me this time." House scowled in response. "Apparently your bi-bride's got some cold feet. Avery and Cameron are trying to talk some sense into her. Get a grip."

Foreman visibly relaxed and rose to his feet. Matthews was nothing if not a sensible woman, and if she was involved, things would probably be okay. God knows she probably dealt with all matter of insanity as a result of being involved with House. It was probably good training for dealing with Remy.

Cuddy looked worried, the administrator in her kicking in. "Can one of you keep an eye on Rachel? I want to make sure everything's okay."

"Fine, park her here." House gestured to Avery's empty chair. "I'll keep the little squirt amused for a minute. You like video games?" The small child nodded silently as House produced his PSP from his jacket pocket. "Yeah, I get bored waiting, too." He pushed a few buttons, starting the racing game he had loaded as Rachel's face changed from boredom to fascination.

Cuddy paused, watching the two of them interact. She had always known House was good with kids. He seemed to understand them in a way few adults did, but she was still surprised at the kindness he showed her young daughter. She smiled slightly and strode up the aisle in search of the other three women.

She found Cameron and Avery outside the dressing room door, discussing the situation, hearing sobbing on the other side of the door.

"What's going on?" Cuddy's voice was tinged with concern.

"Not sure. We can't seem to get her calmed down enough to understand." Cameron's mouth was twisted with worry.

Cuddy knocked on the door. "Hadley? It's Cuddy. How can we help?"

_Oh, great. Now my boss's boss is hounding me._ "Leave me alone, please?" Thirteen's voice took on a pleading quality through her tears.

Avery gently shooed the other two women away. "I'll try to handle this. You two go back. I'll keep you posted."

Cameron and Cuddy looked at each other before nodding and walking away.

Avery sighed, knocking on the door once again. "Hadley? It's Matthews. Open up."

"No."

Avery huffed in frustration. This was going to be tougher than she thought. Her mind went back to House's comment the other night…something about not thinking about growing old at all, never mind with someone. Her attitude toward Hadley softened. Hadley probably wouldn't get a chance to grow old at all, period. She had to be scared out of her wits.

"I guess we'll have to have this little chat through the door, then."

"There's nothing to talk about."

Avery heard a distinct clink of metal crutches behind her. Suddenly House appeared, scowling, leaning on his crutches.

"What are you doing here?"

House shrugged. "Thought you could use some back up."

Avery sighed. "Have at it, baby. I'm not getting anywhere with her."

House lumbered to the door, banging on it with his crutch. "Thirteen, get your ass out here. You're holding up progress."

Thirteen couldn't help smirking a little at the sound of her boss's rough voice.

"I guess if I had to marry Foreman, I'd cry too." House leaned against the door, listening to the tears slow down, a soft giggle emerging from behind the door. He smirked and winked at Avery. "Head on back. I think I'm breaking her down."

"Good luck. I'll give the others a report."

As soon as Avery was a sufficient distance away, House resumed his conversation with Thirteen. "Still alive in there?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, it's just us now. What the hell's going on?" House paused before continuing. "You know, this would be a hell of a lot easier if you'd just let me in. I need to sit down."

The door flew open, and House barely caught himself before he stumbled into Thirteen. Even with puffy eyes and a red nose, she was lovely in a simple satin gown, a short veil attached to a tiara on top of her head.

House appraised her from head to toe. "Seems a shame to let all that pretty go to waste in a closet." He sat heavily, waiting for an answer. "So…why the big freakout?"

"He's going to regret marrying me." Thirteen could feel the tears starting again. "Eventually…when the Huntington's takes over…he'll resent me. I can't do that to him."

House leaned back against the wall. "You're not giving Foreman much credit." Thirteen lifted her head questioningly. "You think he didn't know what he was getting into? He already knows what's coming, and he's pushing on anyway." House stared intently into Thirteen's eyes. "Lean on him. That's what he's there for. He's anal, kind of a twit, but…he's rock solid, and he loves you. He's done some damned stupid things in the name of that love, but marrying you isn't one of those things. Now get your scrawny ass out there any marry the fool already."

Thirteen sniffled, bursting into laughter. House's logic was twisted, but irrefutable. Finally she wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "Okay, you win. Again."

"Good. Now, where's your dad? Isn't he walking you down the aisle?"

Thirteen shook her head sadly. "He…couldn't make it. I was going to walk by myself."

House huffed and rolled his eyes. "You _are_ an idiot. Someone should walk you down that damn aisle. It's…tradition, or so they say."

Thirteen smirked at House. "Would you? I mean…since you're here and all."

House glanced at his crutches. "As long as you don't mind going slow."

"We're already late. A few more minutes won't matter."

"Well, then." House heaved himself up. "Let's get this show on the road. Don't want the crowd to come after you with torches and pitchforks."

"I'll be right there." Thirteen stood, staring in the mirror, adjusting her tiara with shaking hands. She glanced in the mirror to see Avery standing there.

"Can I help?"

Thirteen nodded, turning to Avery so she could fix her tiara and veil. Avery fixed her with a warm smile, placing her hands on the younger doctor's shoulders.

"You look gorgeous. Foreman's going to faint when he sees you."

Thirteen laughed softly. "Thanks." She took a small breath, meeting Avery's eyes. "I'm sorry about…earlier. I guess I didn't think you'd understand what I was going through."

"It's fine. I'm just glad House managed to talk you down." Avery touched Thirteen's face, smiling gently. "Walk down that aisle, take that man's hand, and make the most of whatever time you have left. I know that's what I plan on doing with mine."

Thirteen's eyes started to go shiny again as House poked his head in. "Aw, dammit, babe. I just managed to make her _stop_ crying." He jerked his head at Thirteen. "Are we going or what?"

"Let's go."

Avery handed Thirteen her bouquet as Cameron emerged from the bathroom, looking a little ill. She looked a little horrified when she saw Avery and House outside the sanctuary.

"Is everything okay?"

"All good, baby mama." House straightened up as Thirteen stepped in beside him. "Now, if you don't mind, we've got a wedding to get to."

The music started, and the pair started down the aisle. Avery and Cameron slipped behind the crowd, quickly walking down one of the side aisles to their respective spots. Avery sat next to Rachel as Cameron gave Chase and Foreman a small thumbs up sign.

"Where's House?" Wilson whispered to Avery.

"You'll see."

# # #

The crowd turned when the music started, and there was widespread murmuring when everyone saw who was walking Thirteen down the aisle.

"Check it out. We're rock stars." House whispered in amusement to Thirteen.

Thirteen chuckled softly, smirking at House. "Shh. Just keep moving."

"You're not going to throw up or anything, are you?"

"No, House!" Thirteen hissed at him. "I'm fine."

"Good."

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, House and Thirteen made it to the altar. Thirteen squeezed House's arm before letting him go. "Thank you for…everything." She whispered.

House was vaguely uncomfortable. "Well…you know. You're on your own now, Thirty-One." He moved over to the nearest chair, sitting heavily next to Avery.

She took his hand after he set his crutches aside. "Are you okay?"

"Fine. Let's watch the show now." He squeezed her hand, but didn't let go. He leaned across Avery to Rachel, gesturing to her to give back the PSP. "You can crash more cars later. Your mom will get pissy if you play that thing all through the wedding."

Rachel reluctantly gave back the PSP and hopped off the chair to rejoin her mother, climbing into her lap and snuggling up to Cuddy.

"Cute kid." House muttered to Avery. "Maybe she could hang out with us once we get moved."

"Maybe." Avery gave House a warm smile. "What brought that on?"

House shrugged. "It's a two-for-one thing. I get to practice being the weird uncle, and I drive Cuddy up the wall. Sounds like a win-win to me."

Avery smacked House lightly in the arm. "You're a mess. Now hush, they're starting."

The minister started the ceremony, and Foreman and Thirteen stepped toward each other. Foreman showed some emotion for a change, his big brown eyes turning shiny as he took Thirteen's hands, speaking his vows, barely managing to choke out "I do.".

Thirteen's tears started again, and House could see her shoulders shaking as she recited similar vows. He heard a sniffle beside him, and he turned to see tears running down Avery's face. House smiled a little and pulled Avery close to him, lightly kissing the top of her head.

Thirteen managed to finish her part, whispering "I do.", placing the ring on Foreman's ring finger and squeezing his hand lightly.

The minister introduced the newly married couple, and the crowd burst into applause as they rushed up the aisle. Foreman let out a loud _whoop_ as they exited the sanctuary, much to the amusement of the crowd. Chase and Cameron followed them up the aisle, sharing a loving look as they exited.

"Damn, glad _that_ drama's over." House rose, situating himself on his crutches as the crowd filed out.

Avery laughed and smacked House on the arm. "Are you up for the reception?"

"Ow…I don't know. Maybe if you quit beating me up…"

"You're alright, baby. Let's get moving."

House felt a tug on his suit jacket. It was Rachel, looking up at him with wide eyes. "What's up, kid?"

"Can I play your game again?"

"Not right now. Maybe later."

"When later?"

"_Later_." House glanced over at Cuddy. "Get your kid. She's nagging me."

"That's what you get for hooking her on video games." Cuddy gave him a pointed look. "Now she'll nag me for one."

"They're not so bad. Develop hand-eye coordination, critical thinking skills…"

"They'll rot her brain. Stop encouraging her." Cuddy scolded House as she led Rachel away.

House smirked at Avery. "See? Mission accomplished."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Oh, Lord have mercy. Let's just get to the reception. All of a sudden I'm in need of a drink."

# # #

House and Avery made it just in time for Foreman and Thirteen's first dance as a married couple. They stood just outside, watching them become completely lost in each other. House placed his chin on Avery's shoulder, planting a quick kiss on her neck.

"That'll be us before too long." Avery whispered to House.

"Hmmm…can't promise I'll be that smooth on my feet. Even at my best I kind of have two left feet."

"You'll do." Avery turned slightly, placing her hand on House's smooth cheek and kissing him. "I'm sure we can work something out."

"Sure you're right." The song ended and Foreman led Thirteen over to one of the tables. Wilson stood up and took over, taking the place of Thirteen's father for the traditional father-daughter dance.

Thirteen had chosen 'Tangled Up Puppet' as her song. It seemed like an unusual choice, and House found himself listening closely to the lyrics.

The last verse hit House hard. _I have watched you take shape from a jumble of parts…and find the grace and form of a fine work of art…hey you, my brand new woman, newly come into her own…don't you know that you don't need to grow up all alone…_

House took a deep, ragged breath, fighting the emotional tide that washed over him. Damn that Harry Chapin, anyway. This was why he wasn't a fan. His songs seemed to hit just a little too close to home. Seemed like he was more of a father figure to Thirteen than he thought. Damn. Foreman would take good care of her though, House was sure of that. Sure, she'd probably resent him from time to time, but it would be a small price to pay for the loyalty and love they would share for however long they had.

He chuckled to himself, amused at the parallels between Foreteen's relationship and his and Avery's relationship. Of course, he'd long noticed the parallels between himself and Thirteen. It had a lot to do with why he hired her in the first place. He had just never bothered to analyze the parallels in their relationships before. It was…interesting, to say the least.

"Are you alright over there?" Avery looked at him questioningly.

"Fine. Let's go join the party already."

# # #

**Thanks to those of you that keep adding me and my story to your favorites. Now boost my ego and give me some feedback by pushing the little green button. :)**


	55. Father Figure

**You know my disclaimers by now. I don't own anything but the O/Cs, but I sure have fun with them. House probably slips a little OOC here, but bear with me anyway, okay?**

# # #

House and Avery settled in at a table, with Avery going for drinks for the two of them. Cuddy and Rachel shared the table, as well as Wilson and his date. Wilson finally introduced her to House. She was Kara, one of the newer clinic nurses. House recognized her from his most recent stint in the clinic, but this was the first time he'd had any contact with her that didn't involve a file and a counter. She seemed nice enough, with just enough of a backbone to make her interesting.

Avery returned, and soon the table fell into idle chat. House mostly listened, noticing Rachel intently concentrating on her coloring book, her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth. He slid over to her, watching over her shoulder.

"Mind if I join you?" Rachel looked up, puzzled. "All this grown-up talk is so boring."

"Grown-ups don't color."

"Oh, you're just saying that so you don't have to share." Rachel giggled in response, pushing the crayon box at House. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it? This sharing thing's easy."

The two huddled over the coloring book, barely paying attention to what was going on around them. House had to admit, Rachel was kind of a cool kid, in spite of Cuddy's influence. She was already showing signs of a creative mind as she babbled about the animal she was coloring, using as many colors as she could cram into the drawing.

Rachel seemed to decide that House was her new buddy, and she stuck to him all during dinner, even clinking glasses with him during the wedding toasts. When the music started, she danced in front of him, showing off the little ballet moves she had learned in her dance lessons.

Foreman got caught up in the enthusiasm of the day, and he stopped by their table, sweeping the little girl off the floor and twirling her around the dance floor. Avery noticed that House's face had turned a little dark, almost sad.

"Something up, baby?"

"Nah…I guess it's a good thing Rachel found a dance partner." House's lips quirked upward in a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Avery scooted closer to House, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and planting a kiss on his cheek. "I'm sure you'll get your chance. She'd make a very cute flower girl, don't you think?"

House laughed. "Thought you didn't want a big wedding?"

"Just thinking." Avery rubbed House affectionately between his shoulder blades as Foreman deposited Rachel back to the floor near House. She immediately climbed up on House's lap, wrapping her little arms around his chest.

"Will you dance with me now?" Rachel looked up at House.

"Can't right now. My legs don't work right." House tentatively reached out and touched the child's hair. "Sometime soon, though, okay?"

"Okay." Rachel jumped down and climbed up onto Cuddy's lap, curling up to her and closing her eyes.

House chuckled. "Looks like her batteries are finally wearing down."

Cuddy nodded. "I think we'll call it a night. Say bye, Rachel." Rachel sleepily waved to the table before turning her face to her mother's chest.

House turned to Avery. "You about ready to bail out?"

"I think so. It's been a long day."

They stopped by the bridal party's table to say their goodbyes to the happy couple. Avery nudged House, and House pulled an envelope out of his inside jacket pocket. "We heard you were going to New York for your honeymoon, so we got you a little something." He handed the envelope to Thirteen.

Thirteen opened the envelope, her eyes growing wide with surprise and delight. "Tickets to Avenue Q! Are you serious?!"

House rolled his eyes. "If you don't like it, it was Avery's idea."

Avery smacked House in the shoulder as Thirteen blurted out, "They're perfect. I've wanted to see this for years."

Foreman smiled when he saw the bright expression on his bride's face. "This is great. Thanks." He gave Avery a pointed look. "To _both_ of you."

"You kids have fun. Don't get lost."

"Don't kill any patients while we're gone." Thirteen smirked.

"No promises." House smirked back as he and Avery left.

Thirteen watched the pair as they walked away…well, House lumbered, while Avery stepped with a cool elegance. They still made a beautiful pair, playing off each other like a classical duet.

"Think we'll be like them, Eric?"

"God, I hope not." Foreman threw back the last of his drink. "I mean, you can be Matthews…but I don't want to be House."

Thirteen laughed gently and lightly stroked Foreman's arm. "I don't want to be Matthews…then I'd have to put up with House. Who wants that?"

Foreman chuckled and pointed just outside the entrance to the hall. "Looks like someone does."

Thirteen peeked outside to see House and Avery, heads touching, laughing as if they were sharing a private joke. Avery reached up on tiptoe, pressing her lips to House's, the kiss clearly deepening and lingering, as if they were the only two in the world.

She poked Foreman in the ribs. "_That's_ what I meant when I asked if we'd be like them. God, you're dense."

"Oh…well…if that's what you meant…" Foreman placed a hand on Thirteen's back. "That'd be alright, I guess."

"Good." She gently stroked her new husband's face. Thirteen knew their time was limited, but just then, it didn't matter. Like the older couple who was wrapped up in each other just outside the reception hall, she had every intention of making the most of whatever was left, starting now.

# # #

Avery sighed as they climbed into the car for the ride home. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"It was…interesting. Didn't think I'd have to talk the bride into going down the aisle." House leaned back against the seat, stretching out his legs and closing his eyes.

Avery glanced over at him, a small smile on her face. "You did good today, baby."

"All in a day's work."

"I mean it. Between getting Hadley down the aisle and hanging out with Rachel…it was pretty amazing." They pulled up in front of House's apartment, and Avery parked before placing a firm kiss on House's cheek. "You're a wonderful man, and I'll be proud to be your wife…whenever that happens."

House felt the heat rise to his face. He had never accepted praise well, and until Avery had come along, he had rarely heard anyone tell him they were proud of him.

"I…don't know what to say to that."

Avery smiled warmly. "How about…thank you? That's generally what people say when they receive a compliment."

"Oh…right. Why didn't I think of that?" House rolled his eyes, grateful for the darkness that hid his still-red face.

Avery placed a hand on House's cheek, feeling the warmth beneath it. "You're…blushing! I somehow managed to embarrass you…" Her voice trailed off, a somber, questioning expression taking over her face. "It's like…no one's ever told you they're proud of you."

"Can't we just go inside and have wild sex or something?" House opened the car door, grabbing his crutches and heaving himself out of the car.

"Stop deflecting." Avery stepped out of the car and followed House inside, quickly catching up to him and grabbing his arm. "You're not getting away that easily, baby. I can still keep up with you."

House sighed, turning away from Avery. "Look…I've been partying hardy for twelve hours. I just want to sit down and veg out in front of my TiVo. I do _not_ want to talk about my 'issues'. That's why I keep the brain guy on call, right?" He turned and placed a gentle kiss on Avery's forehead. "You're a great woman, and I love you, but…I decided a long time ago not to saddle you with my bullshit. I'm not changing that plan."

"Okay. You win this round." Avery touched House's face, running her hand down his smooth cheek. "The next time you wake up screaming in the middle of the night…"

"Will be because Cuddy threatened to take me back to her home planet to help repopulate it. Let it go already." House called out as he made his way down the hallway. He couldn't wait to change out of this damn suit and back into a t-shirt and lounge pants.

He flopped down on the bed, finally undoing the leg brace, flexing the knee, finally relaxing after the long day. After laying his crutches aside, he lay back on the bed, closing his eyes briefly, before they flew open.

Evening meds, of course. No wonder he was hurting more than usual. In all the activity of the day, he had failed to account for his dosing schedule. He immediately popped up, reaching for two of the five bottles that were scattered on his nightstand. After taking one of each, he lay back down on the bed, waiting for them to kick in before he moved on.

"You know, you won't get any of that wild sex if you fall asleep." House felt the mattress move next to him as Avery sat down, holding out a Coke.

House chuckled, sitting up to accept the can from her. "Not sure I could stay awake long enough if I tried. Pathetic."

"Hmm…let's see. So far today you've…talked a bride out of a changing room, walked her down the aisle, partied with younger women…I'd say you have every right to be worn out. Add a little fresh pain on top of that…" Avery pressed a kiss to House's cheek. "It's a wonder you're still up at all."

"Thank you, Rationalization Woman." House wrapped an arm around her waist. "You've managed to save the day…again."

"It's what I do." Avery laughed and rose from the bed. "I'll be back. Just going to make sure things are locked up."

"Mm-kay. I'll be here." House reached for his crutches, pushing his aching body off the bed and working his way to the bathroom, not wanting to bother with the leg brace. The lack of a brace slowed down his progress, but not by much, and he soon returned to the bedroom, where Avery was changing out of her dress and into a tank top and lounge pants, twisting her hair up into a bun in front of the mirror.

House made his way up behind her, setting his crutches aside to lean on his hands against the dresser, resting his chin on Avery's shoulder, staring into the mirror. House appraised himself, squinting slightly into the mirror. The image was fuzzy. His eyes were definitely going. He'd probably go to wearing glasses full time before too long. A few more wrinkles, some chin sag, and more hair missing.

Avery was definitely holding up a hell of a lot better than he was. A few fine lines around her eyes and mouth and a few stray strands of silver in her hair were the only clues to her advancing age. If he remembered her mother correctly, chances were good that she would show her age a lot slower down the line, too.

Avery felt House's warm breath on her neck as he exhaled loudly. "What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing. Just trying to figure out when I got so damned old." House lightly kissed Avery on the neck. "A few more years and you'll have to trade me in for a newer model."

"Not going to happen, baby. Sorry to disappoint you." Avery turned around and wrapped her arms around House's waist. "I've never thought of you as old."

"Hanging out with all those kids today must have messed with my head." House chuckled as he pressed his body against Avery's. "I swear I feel like I'm a hundred fucking years old by comparison."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with a young lady named Rachel, would it?"

"Mmm…Maybe." House stopped nibbling at Avery's neck to look directly into her eyes. "What do you think of adopting an older kid?"

"Seriously? Where did you come up with that idea?"

House shrugged. "Don't know. It was just a random thought I had."

"Do you know what I think?" Avery brought House's face to hers for a brief kiss. "I think that we are better off being the crazy aunt and weird uncle…for now. You can have an effect on a child's life without being a parent, you know."

House rolled his eyes. "Right." He knew Avery was right, more or less. His normal work schedule wasn't exactly conducive to raising a child. "I meant what I said about having Rachel over from time to time."

"I like that idea. You could spoil the hell out of her." Avery smiled widely. "I saw you with her tonight. She had you wrapped around her tiny little finger."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." House looked equal parts embarrassed and amused. "This will be great practice for when all the damn babies get here. I can't wait to corrupt the little kangaroo that Cameron's hauling around."

"And don't forget Alice and Devin. They're sure to visit from time to time."

House considered this. "I guess being someone's weird uncle wouldn't be so bad. Could be fun."

"That it could." Avery planted one more kiss on House's lips. "Coming to bed?"

"Most definitely. Got to rest up for that wild sex you promised me."

The couple climbed into bed, House on his back, with Avery curled up on his right side, one leg thrown over his, her arm over his chest. House brought her as close to him as he could, one arm wrapped around her, listening to her breath deeply in sleep, a slight snore escaping her lips.

A kid around the house would definitely throw a monkey wrench into their already settled life. House wasn't sure if that would be a bad thing or not. He wasn't even sure why he was considering the idea. Not that it mattered. If Avery shot him down, that would be the end of the discussion. It wasn't worth creating chaos where none existed.

House huffed in frustration and lightly caressed Avery's arm. None of this had to be decided tonight, and he needed sleep more than he needed to figure this thing out right now. They could always talk it over some other time. That was House's story, and he was going to stick to it.

# # #

**Yep, it's that time! Read and review. I love feedback. :)**


	56. Sunday Morning Sunshine

**Another chapter of smut and fluff. Enjoy, and remember that I don't own the House folks, just the O/Cs.**

# # #

House awakened the next morning to a soft hand sneaking up the front of his shirt. He decided to play possum for a while, letting Avery's hand roam around, simply enjoying the feel of her touch on his skin. Her fingers raked gently through his chest hair, finding a nipple, brushing it with her thumb.

He bit back a response, knowing that his body was about to betray him, if it hadn't already. Avery laughed softly next to him, her lips brushing first his neck, then moving upward to his ear. She gently took his earlobe in her mouth, rolling it around on her tongue before gently sucking on it and letting it go.

"I know you're not asleep, baby." Avery whispered in his ear. She slipped her leg across House's body, straddling him and stretching his arms over his head. A small smirk crossed his face, and House slowly opened his eyes.

"Morning, babe." House grinned when he saw Avery over him. She had a good grip on his wrists as she leaned down for a long, sensuous kiss, breaking away to start kissing him on his chin, moving down to his neck, brushing her lips along the collar of his t-shirt.

"Morning. No, no." Avery chastised House when he started to wrap his arms around her. "Hold on to that headboard."

House looked quizzical, but did as she told him. "Any…special reason I should?"

Avery smiled sweetly as she stroked his stomach under his shirt. "Just…trust me."

House chuckled and closed his eyes. Oh…this was going to be fun. This…dominating side of Avery was one he rarely saw. It was kind of hot, actually.

Avery pushed House's t-shirt until it was over his head, covering his eyes, but leaving his mouth and nose open. She debated allowing House to let go of the headboard long enough to remove it completely, but decided against it. A little sensory deprivation wouldn't kill him. House actually seemed to be enjoying it, if his reactions were any indication.

She continued straddling him, running her hands over his chest, playing with the hair, leaning down to leave a series of slow kisses down his breastbone, lightly pinching his nipples as she continued downward.

House gasped, arching his back in response to the sudden stimuli. Avery worked her way down his stomach, leaving a trail of kisses down to the waist of his lounge pants before pausing, brushing her lips along the waistline.

"Not stopping there, are you?" House's voice was rough and ragged with barely contained desire.

"Mmm…haven't decided yet." Avery moved back up, stroking one of the arms that was still holding on to the headboard, the muscle flexing as House strained to hold on. Her other hand brushed along his ribcage, dipping just inside the waistband near his hip. Finally Avery untied House's pants, reaching inside to take his already hard shaft in her hand.

"Dammit, woman…" House muttered, squirming. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to hold out. All of Avery's teasing was killing him.

Avery moved back down, slipping off House's pants, stroking the skin inside his thighs. She could feel him tense in response as she started kissing up one thigh, leaving one last firm kiss at his hip joint before taking his shaft in her hand, running her tongue slowly from the base to the tip, rolling her tongue around the tip before taking him into her mouth.

Her tongue danced up, down, and around while her other hand lightly raked the inside of his other thigh before moving it to his hip. She found an especially sensitive spot, and he jumped when she brushed against it with her thumb.

House was right on the edge, lightly stroking the back of Avery's leg with his foot, wrapping his leg around her as she flicked his tip with her tongue before taking him in whole, sucking on him while she spread her hands out along his stomach, making him groan, arching upward, seeking more of what Avery was giving.

It was more than House could take, and he exploded inside Avery's mouth, every muscle in his body tense and shaking with the exertion and stimulation. Avery lifted her head, lightly kissing House's stomach on her way back up to him, making him jump.

"Aah…little sensitive there, woman."

"Mm…sorry, baby." Avery lightly kissed his neck, provoking the same response. "Whoops, there too?"

"_Yes_. You bad woman." House relaxed and let go of the headboard, removing his t-shirt and tossing it to the floor. "And you're about to be in serious, _serious_ trouble."

"You don't say." Avery giggled as House rolled her onto her back.

"Oh, I _do_ say." House's eyes crinkled with amusement as he traced a line down her breastbone and stomach with one finger, slipping his hand inside her pants. "I have ways of dealing with women like you."

"Mmm…do tell." Avery spread her legs slightly in anticipation.

"I would, but…" House started kissing her neck. "I'd rather show you."

"That works too…I'm not fussy."

"Good. Now hush, woman." House softly kissed her collarbone, using lips and tongue to leave a trail to her shoulder, pulling the strap of Avery's tank down to leave his mark on her shoulder. His fingers explored her warm center, gently stroking, evoking a soft sigh from her.

"Mmm...baby…" Avery ran her fingers through House's hair while he kissed her along the deep neckline of her tank, flicking out his tongue to run it between her breasts. She moaned and arched upward in response, all but begging for more.

House smirked, watching Avery's reactions as he straddled her, slipping her arms out of the straps of the tank, pushing it down to reveal the soft caramel colored flesh beneath. He hovered over her, stroking the soft skin, playing with the nipples, bringing them to full hardness before lowering his mouth over one breast, gently sucking on the already hard nipple.

Avery moaned softly, clutching House's head, encouraging him downward. He eased himself down, slipping off her pants in one quick move, stroking her. She squirmed under his touch, further encouraging him.

She spread her legs, opening herself fully to him, and House spread the folds of flesh, flicking the center with his tongue. Avery grabbed the back of his head, arching upward to make even better contact. He stroked around her opening, making her cry out before he entered her, stroking her inside while moving his tongue over her.

House felt her muscles tense around his finger as she went over the edge, moaning and shaking, finally sighing out as she relaxed her grip on his hair. He pulled himself up to her, grinning like a fool, laying a kiss on her neck.

"See what I mean? _That's _how I deal with bad women."

Avery sighed contentedly and laughed. "Wow, what a terrible punishment. You sure taught me."

"Damn straight." House rolled over onto his back, taking Avery's hand is his and bringing it to his lips. "You know what? I think I love you."

"No way, really?" Avery squeezed his hand in response. "I think there's a possibility that I love you, too."

Avery curled up to House, interlacing her fingers with his. "You know…I don't think we'd be able to do this with a child around."

"Yeah, I know." House sighed quietly to himself. "What are the chances of us getting approved anyway?"

"I'm not saying it's impossible, baby."

"I know that, too." House placed a quick kiss on her forehead. "No need to talk about it right now, okay?"

They were silent for a long moment before House spoke up again. "How do you feel about a dog?"

Avery lifted her head, giving House a questioning look. "You'd be okay with adopting a dog instead of a child?"

"Why not? They're kind of like kids with fur."

"Sure…except that they never grow up, never leave home, never get jobs…" Avery shook her head and lay back down on House's chest. "You are a _hot_ mess."

"So you'll think about it." House smirked as he stroked Avery's shoulder.

"Maybe. One thing at a time, baby. Once we're all moved in…we'll talk about it."

"Good enough, I guess." House closed his eyes, relaxed and content, the warm weight of Avery against him. "What's a good dog name? Rex? Sparky?"

"_Greg_." The warning tone in Avery's voice was his cue to finally back off.

"Okay, okay…I'm done." House laughed and kissed Avery's forehead again.

She extricated herself from his grip, pulling on her clothes. House raised himself up on his elbows, watching her move around the bedroom.

"Where are you going, babe?"

"Just going to start coffee. I'll be back."

House lay back down on the bed, relaxing after their morning activities. It was one hell of a way to wake up, that was for sure. He finally heaved himself up, popping a couple of his pills, washing them down with last night's Coke.

He found his lounge pants, tugging them on, briefly standing to pull them up the rest of the way. House nearly lost his balance in the simple act, a reminder of his still-present disability. Scowling in irritation, he reached for the metal crutches and slowly made his way out of the bedroom, following his nose into the kitchen in search of coffee.

Avery was already there, humming to herself as she pulled out breakfast items. House took the mug Avery already had set out and filled it with coffee and sugar, settling in against the counter to watch her, an uncharacteristically soft smile crossing his rugged face.

She turned to take a pan out of the cabinet, only to find House directly in front of it. An amused expression crossed her face as she gently nudged him aside.

"One side or a leg off, baby."

House groaned as he slowly stepped aside. "Another fun game of Push the Cripple. Nice. I see how you are."

"Yes…the big meanie that's cooking your breakfast." Avery softly kissed him before returning to the stove to heat the pan, whipping up batter for French toast. "Unless, of course, you're not all that hungry…"

House smirked, slowly making his way to the stove to press his lips to Avery's neck. "If you don't know by now that I'm _always_ hungry for what you've got cooking…"

"Careful, now." Avery laughed as she enjoyed the sensation of House's lips lingering on her skin. "If I burn this, it's your fault."

"I'll make it up to you somehow." House continued working his way down her lovely neck, inhaling the trace of her perfume that still remained from the night before. "Don't know how, though…you've been too goddamn good to me…"

Avery shut off the stove and turned so she faced House, taking his face in her hands, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "You've got nothing to make up for. Nobody's keeping score."

"I am." House spoke softly. "Trust me, you're way ahead of me."

Avery pulled House down to her, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "We take care of each other. That's what couples do. Over time…it evens out. So I hear, anyway."

House's lips twisted in a small smile. "I wouldn't know."

"Me either." Avery's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Hopefully we'll have many years to find out."

House felt his heart soar at Avery's words. She seemed to not only believe in him, but in _them_. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had expressed such faith. It was overwhelming. He leaned heavily on his left crutch, balancing himself to place his other hand on her waist, drawing Avery close to him.

"I hope so too, babe." House's voice was rough with emotion. He brushed his lips against her ear. "I love you."

Avery wrapped her arms around House, a lump rising in her throat at House's simple verbal expression. She couldn't imagine a life without him anymore. "I love you too, baby."

He chuckled and released her. "Enough of the mushy stuff, babe. You won't ever get my breakfast done at this rate."

"Good to know you have my priorities straight." Avery couldn't help but laugh at House. He could run the gamut from sentimental to sweet to silly in about ten seconds flat. It was hard to keep up with him, but well worth the effort.

# # #

House sat at the piano, playing around with different songs, different arrangements, no particular goal in mind. He was fully relaxed for the first time in ages, reveling in the simple pleasure of his music, taking the occasional glance over at Avery.

Avery was curled up on the leather couch, her glasses perched on her nose, completely absorbed in her book. Her only movement was to reach over to the coffee table to take the occasional sip of coffee and turn the pages.

He pushed himself off the bench, deciding to try out something. Using one crutch under his left side, he slowly eased his way over to the couch. He felt a little unbalanced, since he was used to using the cane on his right side, but right now his right leg was significantly stronger than the left.

Avery looked up at the sound of House slowly clinking his way across the living room, holding her breath as she watched him move carefully, the effort evident on his face. _What on earth is he trying to prove?_

House caught Avery's concerned expression, and he immediately grinned to cover his intense efforts. "Look Ma, one crutch!"

"Very impressive, baby." Avery was equal parts amused and concerned. "Any pain?"

House shrugged as he sank heavily into the couch cushion. "No more than usual."

Avery regarded him skeptically. "Seriously?"

He rolled his eyes in response. "You know…if I wanted my mother here, I'd call her."

"I'm not trying to mother you. I just know _you._" Avery huffed in response. "I know you like to push yourself, to test your limits. This isn't the time to do that. Take your time and do this right." She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his temple. "You've got all the time in the world to do this. I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you."

"Yeah, yeah." House absentmindedly rubbed his right thigh, feeling a slight sting there. He was long past ready for things to return to some semblance of normal, and he was willing to do a good deal to move that process along. His body, on the other hand, seemed to have other ideas.

"I mean it." Avery spoke emphatically. "Did you not hear the part about how I want to keep you around for a few more years? I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it."

"Hmm…I either didn't hear it or I ignored it. Hard to say which."

Avery smacked House in the arm. "At any rate…take your time. Seriously."

"Fine. You win…again." House gently kissed the top of Avery's head, taking in the scent of her shampoo. "How are you so damned convincing, anyway?"

"No idea. I've been told I have a silver tongue."

"I'll be the judge of that." House tilted Avery's chin upward, capturing her mouth in a slow, languorous kiss, feeling her tongue roll around in his mouth. "Nope, not silver, but…very convincing nevertheless."

Avery laughed. "And I'm convinced that you're a damn fool."

House grinned in response. "Ah, but I'm _your_ damn fool, and don't you forget it."

Avery curled up to House, her head on his shoulder. "Wouldn't have you any other way, baby."

# # #

**Now it's your turn. Read and review. I love that feedback. :)**


	57. Sitting On Top Of The World

**Inserting all my usual disclaimers here. I don't own anything but the O/Cs. Everything else is the property of Fox and other folks.**

# # #

"Come on, Doc, give me ten more reps." House was silently cursing to himself as Roger pushed him through his exercises that morning. His leg was shaking from the strain, and House could feel the sweat pouring off him.

He finished and slowly eased the weight down, careful not to crash them. Roger nodded in approval and made a couple of notes in his chart.

"Good work, Doc." Roger motioned over to the parallel bars. "Let's see how you're coming along. Start at one end and go as far as you can without touching the bars."

House fixed him with a slight glare, grabbing his wooden crutches and quickly making his way over to the bars. He and Roger had been working the hell out of his left leg since his cast had been removed a month ago, and it felt like the two legs had finally caught up to each other.

He leaned the crutches against the bars and stepped up, gingerly moving from one leg to the other, comparing them. Roger kept one eye on House, watching as a slow smile spread over the older doctor's face as he stepped forward.

"How's it feel?" Roger tilted his head, observing House.

House nodded. "Feels okay. I almost feel normal again."

Roger grinned in response. "Okay, let's see it."

House took a deep breath and took a tentative step forward, his hands hovering over the bars. His right leg, as expected, still suffered from the effects of having such a large chunk of muscle missing. The pain was minimal, and it was surprisingly strong under him.

He stepped forward with his left, nervous about placing his weight on the leg. Finally he set his foot down, lifting the right behind him. _Right, left, repeat. Simple._

House continued down the length of the bars, only needing to grab them at the very end when the right leg had taken all it could. Roger leapt forward, more out of habit than anything else, laughing as he caught himself.

"Looks like I'm about to lose another patient." Roger chuckled as he made more notes.

"You don't say…" House grinned a little to himself.

"I do say." Roger handed the chart to House. "I'm releasing you from PT."

House's grin grew wider. "You mean I won't get to see your ugly face anymore? Damn shame, Roger."

"You're telling me." Roger handed House his crutches and extended a hand to him. "I'll write up a follow up program for you so you can maintain your progress. You might even improve on things if you keep after it."

House took the hand the Roger offered, shaking it firmly. "So how long before I ditch these things?" He asked, waving the crutches around.

Roger shrugged as he walked House out of the therapy room. "Whenever you're ready. You might want to keep them handy for a while, but aside from that…"

"Best news I've heard all day." House grinned as he signed out at the desk, where David waited for him. He leaned against the desk as Roger finished what he was writing. "All kidding aside…thanks for working with me. I know I've been…"

"A pain in the ass? Yeah, you have been, Doc." Roger laughed as he handed House a sheet of paper. "But it's served you well. Most people in your position…well…they might not have quit, but they wouldn't be where you are now, that's for damn sure."

House was a bit embarrassed at Roger's assessment. "Yeah, well…other people are idiots."

"I'm serious, Doc." Roger glared at House. "Jesus, man, learn to take a compliment. _You_ did this. My nagging can only take you so far. Take care of yourself."

House nodded, signing off on his paperwork and turning away. Roger watched him carefully walk away, barely leaning on the crutches. It was a big hospital, and he didn't really expect to see him again, but House was not a man Roger would soon forget.

House caught David's eye as he entered the waiting room. David rose, searching House's face for some clue of how the session had gone.

"Well…?"

House's face changed from serious to a full smile. "Trade you these for that cane."

David grinned as they completed the exchange. "Sweet, Doc."

"Yep, I'm a free man today. Roger finally let me go." House leaned on his cane, feeling the familiar weight in his hand as the pair made their way out of the waiting area and down the hallway to the elevators.

"That's very cool." David slung the crutches over his shoulder, staying in step with House. "So where are we headed now?"

House punched the down button with his cane, smiling slightly as he did so. "Going to see Cuddy and the twins. It's time for me to start terrorizing this place full time again."

David nodded. He knew this day would come eventually, but it seemed to have come up quicker than he anticipated. "So I guess you'll be kicking me to the curb before too long."

They stepped onto the elevator, and House dropped his head in response. "I'm afraid so, kid." He waved his hand dismissively. "One thing at a time. Let me deal with the Dragon Lady first, then we'll work out the other thing."

"Sure." David leaned against the wall of the elevator as they rode in silence. "I might have a thing going on in New York before too long anyway."

"Yeah?" House's interest was piqued.

"Yeah." David grinned. "Some club agent came to one of our gigs a couple of weeks ago and offered us an audition. I figured I'd go in November, since I'm going for the marathon anyway, but…maybe I'll go a little sooner."

House nodded. "You'd be a damn fool to wait on that opportunity."

"That's kind of what I was thinking. Guess we'll…work it out."

"Guess so." House smirked as they stepped off the elevator and through the lobby to Cuddy's office. "Watch this. I haven't done this in months."

David hung back, not knowing what was coming. House strode confidently, if a little slowly, to Cuddy's office door and banged it open, startling the lovely doctor sitting behind her desk.

Her blue-gray eyes went wide when she saw House come boldly striding into her office, just as he'd done a million times before.

"House! What the…" It took Cuddy a moment to put together the figure in front of her desk. "You're…"

"That's right. I'm free to hound and harass you full time again. Put me back in, Coach." House leaned on his cane, his big blue eyes filled with a mixture of teasing and pleading.

Cuddy couldn't help but laugh at him. It was wonderful to see House back to full strength, and she leaned back in her desk chair to appraise him.

"Fine. I'll make the necessary arrangements. Starting Monday, you're back full time." Cuddy leaned forward, folding her hands on top of her desk. "You're still expected to do your clinic duty, of course."

"Right." House rolled his eyes. "Why should that change?"

"Exactly." Cuddy smiled warmly. "See you around, House."

House huffed as he exited Cuddy's office. Things were finally starting to return to some semblance of normal. He was grateful for it, but he could have done without the damned clinic duty. _Oh well, guess I can't have everything._

David was waiting for him just outside Cuddy's office, chatting with her assistant. He immediately turned away when he saw House walk out, a small grin on his face.

"So…I guess I'm definitely out now, huh?"

House waved his hand dismissively. "You've got better things to do anyway. Don't deny it."

"I won't say better…"

"Don't bother being diplomatic." House snapped. "Have you learned nothing from hanging out with me?"

"Fine." David faced House. "It's been good hanging out with you, but…it's good to see you recovered, too."

"That's better." House made his way to the elevator, pressing the up button with his cane.

David grinned, still holding House's crutches over his shoulder. "You want these?"

House glared at David. "Uh…no. Get those things out of here. I'll see you later."

"See you, Doc."

House watched David walk away, crutches slung over his shoulder. He was a good kid, and House would definitely miss having him around, but it was long past time to let the kid have his own life again. House had little doubt that he'd find a way to stay in touch with him. He made a note to tell Avery to add David to the wedding invite list.

House grinned to himself as he stepped on the elevator. Avery was about to be in for one hell of a surprise when he arrived on the fourth floor.

# # #

Avery was busy working her way through some paperwork when she heard her office door bang open. She looked up to see House leaning on his…cane.

Her eyes lit up as he confidently strode in, grinning from ear to ear, rounding her desk to press a firm kiss to her lips.

"What the…when…how…where are your crutches?!"

"Sent them home with David." House set his cane on Avery's desk and pulled her in for another kiss. "Speaking of…I'm cutting him loose."

"Are you sure?" Avery looked a little concerned.

"Positive. He's got a thing with his band in New York anyway. I think he'll be okay."

House's pager started going off. He pulled it out of his pocket, checking the code. "Gotta fly. Patient's crashing." He grabbed his cane, brushing one more quick kiss on Avery. "Start making those wedding plans, woman. I'm in a mood to get hitched."

In a flash, House was out the door, slamming it behind him. Avery simply stood there in stunned silence, overwhelmed by the series of events. House was finally back to some semblance of normalcy, and they could finally get on with the next stage of their life.

Avery returned to her desk, opening her bottom drawer to slip out a bridal magazine. It was dotted with all manner of Post-It flags, marking pages with flowers, dresses, and other ideas she and Cameron had kicked around before House's motorcycle accident. She had told House she wasn't into the idea of a big wedding, but…she only planned on doing this once. Might as well make a big deal out of it.

She picked up her phone and dialed the extension for the emergency department. If she was lucky, she could catch Cameron for lunch, and the two could get busy making plans. Excitement started to course through her veins as she flipped through the pages.

"Cameron? Hey…are you free for lunch? I've got some things to…talk over with you." Avery's face lit in a smile. "Great! I'll meet you in half an hour. Bring a notepad."

# # #

After House and the team got their patient stabilized, they regrouped in the conference room to brainstorm. House furiously scribbled on the whiteboard as the team kicked around ideas. Finally they agreed on a new direction, and the team broke up to run their tests.

House retreated to his office, the adrenaline finally wearing off after the events of the day. He absentmindedly rubbed his thigh, before leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

Taub strode purposefully into his office, stopping when he heard his boss snoring in his chair. He debated whether it was really worth poking the sleeping bear to let House know that they had the results they were looking for. Taking a deep breath, Taub decided to at least take the chance.

"House…House." Taub shook House's shoulder, watching the older doctor slowly come to life. "We got the results from the MRI."

House sat up, shoving his glasses on his face and taking the films from Taub to hold them up to the light. He nodded firmly and handed them back to Taub. "Schedule an OR to get that tumor out of there, then hand him over to Oncology. Nice work."

Taub nodded politely before turning and leaving the office, nearly bumping into Avery along the way. She engaged him in idle chat for a moment before entering the office. House thought he caught Taub briefly checking her out. He couldn't blame him if he was. Avery was looking exceptionally good today, even for her.

He rose from his chair, grabbing his cane and meeting her halfway across his office. "Hey, you."

"Hey yourself." Avery softly kissed House on the lips. "Ready to go home?"

"Whenever you are." House gestured to Avery to leave first, grabbing his backpack along the way. "How's pizza sound tonight?"

"Sounds good to me…as long as you're buying."

House rolled his eyes and groaned as they made their way to the elevator. "Fine, but only because it's you."

"That's good enough for me." Avery laughed gently, wrapping an arm around House's waist as they waited for the elevator. "Oh, I got to chatting with Cameron today. She's helping me with the wedding plans."

House looked momentarily horrified. "I thought you didn't want a big wedding."

Avery shrugged her shoulders. "I changed my mind. I can't speak for you, but I only plan on doing this once. Might as well make a big deal of it, right?"

House's expression changed from mild horror to a warm smile. "Yeah, might as well." He squeezed Avery's hand as they got on the elevator, pulling her to him as the elevator doors closed. "I'm with you, babe. I'm only doing this once. You and Cameron had better make this one hell of a blowout."

Avery smiled as House pressed his mouth to hers, one hand wrapping around her neck, the other slipping down to caress her rear, cane clattering to the floor.

The elevator stopped on the next floor, the doors quietly opening to reveal a couple of new passengers. At the sound of a throat clearing, the couple broke apart, Avery picking up House's cane and handing it to him. House smirked, turning to Avery as he wiped lipstick off his face.

"Did I get it all?"

Avery reached up to wipe a spot near his lip. "Missed a bit right there."

House pretended to look exasperated. "How many times do I have to tell you to get that smearproof stuff? I can't just wander around with lipstick smeared everywhere. It's unmanly."

"How about not making out in the elevator? That would solve the whole problem, don't you think?" One of the doctors standing in front of them turned around and snapped at House.

House leaned over his shoulder. "Jealous? If not, you should be."

Avery snickered and leaned against the back of the elevator, and House settled in beside her, smirking as he took her hand. He was flying high today, and nothing was going to bring him down, not even some jealous twit that probably wasn't getting any action anyway.

# # #

**I've done my part, now do yours. Push the button and tell me what you think. :)**


	58. Just Keeps Getting Better

**My humble apologies for the delay in updating this. I'm finally back with some sweetness, light, and general smexiness. Enjoy, and know that I don't own anything House-related.**

# # #

House awakened to the sound of keys jangling. He popped one eye open to see Avery straddling him, holding a set of keys over him with a sweet smile on her face.

He pushed himself up on his elbows, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. "What have you got there?"

"Keys to the condo." Avery smiled and leaned down to kiss House. "I thought I'd get in there and start painting. Interested?"

"Maybe." House regarded her skeptically. "You've already picked out paint, right?"

"You don't really think I'd pick paint colors without you, do you?"

House groaned. "Oh, come on. You don't need my insightful opinion for that. Let me know when you've bought the paint and stuff, then come get me." He grabbed the pillow beside him and put it over his face.

"Not going to happen, baby." Avery quickly removed the pillow, evoking a glare and a scowl from House. "Besides, Wilson and Kara are coming to help out. Don't want to keep them waiting."

"Oh, no, of course not." House grumbled as he nudged Avery off him and pushed himself to a sitting position. To be honest, he'd rather poke himself in the eye with a sharp stick than spend the day picking out paint colors. It was just so damned…_domestic_.

Avery soon returned with a cup of coffee and a handful of paint chips. House gratefully accepted the coffee, frowning at the paint chips. "God, woman, you're relentless."

"I know. Tell you what…you pick what you want for your room, and I'll handle the rest. Deal?"

"Deal…for a small fee." House smirked suggestively.

"Is that right?" Avery leaned closer. "And what would that be?"

"Hmm…well…it might start something like…this." House started with a light kiss on Avery's cheek. "And then…I might move on to here…and here…and finally…here." He slowly moved down her neck, placing the last kiss at the base of her throat.

"Mmmm…." Avery closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of House's lips on her skin. "Somehow I suspect there's more to this…fee of yours."

"Oh, no question." House growled as he slid a hand under her t-shirt, lowering Avery to the bed.

A rattling of House's apartment door interrupted them, and House could hear Wilson and Kara talking in the living room.

"Don't you people knock?!" He bellowed from the bedroom before turning back to Avery. "I'll collect from you later, woman."

"Good." Avery laughed. "I'm looking forward to it."

They emerged from the bedroom, Avery greeting Wilson and Kara with a warm smile. "Good to see you two."

"Would have been better if you'd shown up an hour from now…" House grumbled as he sipped at his coffee.

Avery smacked him on the arm, fixing him with a small glare. "Don't mind him. He's crabby before his first cup of coffee."

"And his second…and his third…" Wilson whispered to Kara under his breath, evoking a small giggle from the young woman.

"Anyway…" House rolled his eyes and flopped onto the couch. "You girls have fun picking out paint. My TiVo and I have important business to attend to."

"Actually…" Wilson tentatively spoke. "I'd just as soon stay here. I'd only get in the way."

Avery regarded both men skeptically. "Fine. We'll call when we've got the paint and supplies. You two can just meet us at the condo." She bent down to kiss House on top of his head. "Love you, baby. See you soon."

House smiled despite himself. "Love you too. Don't pick anything too awful."

The two women left, leaving House and Wilson in their old familiar spots on the leather couch. "So…you going to miss all this?"

"Maybe." House shrugged as he drank his coffee. "Not enough to stay, though."

"You know, there was a time I thought you were going to live here forever."

"Me too." House's voice softened. "Thought for sure I was going to end up alone."

They sat in silence as Wilson absorbed House's words. He didn't want to say it, but he had feared that for House, too. Perhaps that was part of why he had sent Avery House's way to start with. Little did he know what would come out of that.

House shook his head, clearly in his own world. "There are days when I still can't believe this is all real. The woman loves me. She loves _me_, and she wants to marry _me._ Blows my damn mind."

Wilson smiled, thrilled to see his friend so genuinely happy. It was a rare moment. "Can't think of anyone who deserves it more."

"Well, anyway…" House seemed to snap out of his train of thought, and seemed more like his usual self. "I figure we've got a good couple of hours until the women call. I've got a couple of new episodes of 'L Word' at the ready if you're interested."

"Why not?" Wilson rolled his eyes. Whatever else changed in their lives, some things would always remain the same. The only thing missing was the beer and the Chinese, and he suspected that the ritual could just as easily move to the new place, too.

# # #

The two men were halfway through the second episode when House's phone sang out "Brown Eyed Girl". Wilson couldn't help but chuckle at House's uncharacteristically sentimental ringtone choice as House flipped open his phone with a grin.

"Hey, babe."

"We're at the condo with all the paint and supplies. Come on over."

House rolled his eyes and turned to Wilson. "Her Majesty requests the honor of our presence."

"Well then, we must obey." Wilson rose from the couch, turning off the TV.

"Right." House returned to his call. "Be there in a while, babe. Don't start the party without us."

Avery's musical laugh carried over the phone. "Wouldn't dream of it, baby. See you soon."

By the time House and Wilson arrived, Avery and Kara already had drop cloths spread out all over the living room and dining room. Cameron was opening rollers and brushes, and Chase was opening paint cans and stirring.

"What the…" House glared at the presence of his former ducklings. "Who let the Wonder Twins in here?"

Avery crossed the room, placing a hand on House's waist and drawing him in. "Don't you know the saying 'Many hands makes light work'? Besides, the sooner we get the place painted…" She leaned closer, whispering in his ear. "…the sooner you can collect that fee of yours."

"With interest." House chuckled, placing a light kiss on her neck. "Just so you know."

"Okay, lovebirds. Can we get on with this?" Chase interrupted the couple, and they broke apart, finally getting down to the business of painting.

As the day wore on, the group started spreading out to the bedrooms, and House found himself in his room alone, spreading the rich brick red color on the walls. He didn't want to admit it, but there was something almost soothing about the process. Avery poked her head in, breaking into his reverie.

"Hey baby. Pizza's here." She stepped into the room, admiring House's work. "I like it. I thought it would be too dark for the room, but…it works. It's very you."

"See? I'm not nearly as hopeless in the decorating department as you thought."

"Mm-hm." Avery looked at him skeptically. "_I_ never said you were hopeless. _You_ just didn't want to be bothered."

"Whatever. Doesn't matter anyway." House leaned down for a long kiss. "The place is really coming together, isn't it?"

"Told you."

House stuck his tongue out at her. "Yeah, yeah. This place have running water yet?"

"Yes. Why?"

House smirked. "I'm just thinking…if we have running water…maybe we could test out that whirlpool tub. You know…" He brushed his lips along her jaw until he touched her ear. "…just to make sure it works."

"Right." Avery chuckled softly. "I've got a feeling we might be too tired to find out. You know, being a pair of old geezers and all."

"Speak for yourself, babe." House pretended to look offended. "When it comes to you…have I _ever_ been too tired?"

Avery pondered this. Aside from his times of injury, she couldn't honestly think of a time when he had turned down any attention from her. "No, can't say that I have."

"And I don't plan on starting now." House held her closer, inhaling her scent, now mixed with the scent of fresh paint.

Cameron appeared at the doorway, amused by the sight of Avery and House wrapped up in each other. "Pizza's getting cold, and Chase is threatening to finish off the all-meat combo."

"Like hell." House immediately released Avery, quickly limping out of the room. His voice carried back to Avery as he berated Chase. Avery and Cameron hung back, watching the action and listening to the laughter of the group.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Cameron reached into her back pocket, producing a slip of paper that she unfolded. "You know how you said you were having trouble finding a dress you liked?"

"Yes…" Avery looked at the paper with great interest.

"Check this out." Cameron smiled as she presented Avery with a picture of a simple ivory satin gown. It was strapless, with a short train.

Avery's eyes lit up when she saw it. "This is perfect, Cam. Where did you find it?"

Cameron scribbled down the web address on the paper. "They have some lovely bridesmaids' gowns, too."

The two women started chatting about other aspects of the wedding, and Kara soon joined them. Avery quickly brought her up to speed on the wedding plans, and Kara nodded as her own face lit up with ideas.

"I know this great flower place. They did the flowers for my sister's wedding."

House was lounging on the floor, listening to the three women blather on. Chase chuckled and shook his head.

"You have no idea what you're in for, do you?"

"Nope, and I don't want to know." House closed his eyes. "I figure Avery will just tell me when and where to show up."

Both Wilson and Chase snorted at the notion. They knew there would be much more to it than that. "Don't count on that, House." Wilson interjected. "Wedding planning has been known to turn even the sanest woman into Bridezilla."

"Uh, hello. I've met your exes. Doesn't surprise me. Avery's different."

Chase smirked as he popped a piece of pepperoni in his mouth. "Cameron was a complete nutcase almost right up until we walked down the aisle."

House sighed impatiently. "Again, no surprise there."

"Don't say nobody warned you. That's all I'm saying."

"Right." House lifted himself on his elbows, pushing himself slowly to his feet. The day was taking a lot out of him, but damned if he was going to admit it. "Let's get this show on the road. The sooner we get this wrapped up, the better." _And the sooner we can check out that tub…_House grinned to himself as he limped back to his room and got back to work. One way or another, he was collecting his…fee from Avery tonight.

# # #

The assembled group decided to pack it in late in the evening, cleaning out brushes and rollers and closing up paint cans. All that was left was some trim work, and Avery assured them that she and House would be perfectly capable of finishing it another day.

Soon Avery and House were the only ones left, and an odd quiet fell over the condo. House took Avery in his arms, holding her close and kissing the top of her head. The smell of fresh paint hung in the air, but House barely noticed.

"How are you feeling, baby?"

"Tired as hell." House grumbled slightly. "Other than that…not too bad."

"Pain levels?" Avery knew House would downplay his pain just to appease her.

He huffed impatiently. "I'm fine, babe. Just ready to go home."

"Aw…no whirlpool tonight?"

House chuckled, nuzzling Avery's neck. "Another time. It's a fun thought, though."

"Mm-hm." Avery lifted her chin as House brushed his lips against her skin. "You okay to drive?"

"Yeah…" Avery gave him one of her patented skeptical looks. "No, not really. I'm beat."

"I thought so." Avery gave House a gentle kiss. "Whenever you're ready, baby."

"Now's good."

House followed Avery to the car, climbing in and resting his head against the headrest. Now that he finally had a chance to relax, he realized just how much the day had taken out of him. It hadn't been a terrible experience, though. To be honest, it was almost fun, and it was gratifying to see his and Avery's new space come together.

He smiled and closed his eyes. A soak in a hot bath sounded good, even if it wasn't the whirlpool tub. He was pretty sure he'd have no trouble convincing Avery to join him.

# # #

Avery soon pulled up in front of House's building, and she looked over to notice he had fallen asleep. She shook him gently.

"Come on, baby." She spoke softly. "We're home."

House stirred, opening those big blue eyes and blinking, shaking his head. He opened the car door and slowly climbed out, every muscle complaining as he moved. Finally he made it out, stumbling toward the door.

For her part, Avery was feeling every minute of the day, and she stretched as she emerged from the car. They finally made it into the apartment, and Avery quickly toed off her shoes and headed for the bathroom, and House could hear the tub running.

He grinned, hoping like hell they were on the same wavelength. _Only one way to find out…_House made his way to the bathroom as quickly as he could, tapping on the door with his cane.

"Who is it?"

House rolled his eyes in amusement. "The Bogeyman. Who else would it be?"

He could hear Avery laugh heartily behind the door. "Well…I suppose I'll let you in, just this once."

Avery was at the sink, putting her hair up into a bun, exposing her lovely long neck. She was already down to her bra and panties when House stepped in, coming up behind her, watching her in the mirror as he placed a series of kisses up and down her neck.

"Mmm…hey, you're not The Bogeyman."

"Mmm, nope." House smirked, moving down to her shoulder, slipping the bra strap off with his teeth. "A vampire, maybe?" He teased as he nipped at her neck.

"No…that doesn't seem quite right, either."

"Damn. Guess it's just me, then. Hope you're not disappointed."

"Never have been." Avery closed her eyes as House unfastened her bra, slipping it off her body and letting it drop to the floor.

"Good." House's voice was a mere whisper in her ear as he gently caressed her breasts, taking a nipple in each hand, rolling them in his fingers. His lips moved to the back of her neck while his hands slid down to the waist of her panties, soon sliding them down her thighs and onto the floor. Avery nimbly stepped out of them, and soon she was naked before him. "Get in that tub, woman."

"Shower would be better."

House considered this. "I'm good with that. As long as you're wet and naked, I'm a happy man."

"Only one thing missing." House tilted his head questioningly. "A wet and naked man."

"Ah, yes. That would be convenient, wouldn't it?" House quickly stripped off his t-shirt while Avery unbuckled his jeans, sliding them and his boxers to the floor. He used Avery to balance himself enough to remove his socks, and they both stepped into the shower.

The spray from the shower over Avery's body was an unbelievable turn-on for House. He found the body wash, squirting a bit over Avery's chest, rubbing it into a lather and spreading it over her shoulders and breasts. He pressed his lips to hers, his tongue pushing through to tangle with hers while he smoothed over her body with the lather, reaching down in between her legs, his fingers seeking entrance.

Avery opened her eyes briefly, watching the water rain down on House's head, over his broad shoulders, and down his body. He broke away from her mouth, watching her face as he fingered her, the intensity of his expression sending waves of pleasure and excitement through her. She reached down to stroke his already hard shaft, and he closed his eyes at the touch.

"Goddammit, babe." House roughly whispered in her ear, bracing himself against the shower wall with both hands as she guided him inside her. He quickly found his rhythm, pushing against Avery, hitting that sweet spot over and over until she tensed around him, moaning softly as she wrapped herself around him.

"Baby…" That soft whisper was all it took, and he slammed into her, exploding inside her with an intensity that he hadn't felt in ages. He finally came back down, fixing Avery with a soft smile, bending down for a long kiss.

"God…I've missed that."

"Told you a shower would be better."

"Mmm…" House kissed her along her shoulder. "Life's a hell of a lot better when I listen to you. I should do that more often."

They quickly washed up and made their way to the bedroom, curling up in their familiar way. House was sore and tired, but so thoroughly sated that he didn't care. He pulled Avery close to him, still amazed that this woman wanted to share not only a space, but a life with him. How he ended up getting the better end of this deal, he would never know.

Avery laid her head on House's chest as he pulled her close, taking in the scent of his soap. Right now, she couldn't imagine things getting much better. She certainly never imagined that she would be here, in this place, with this man. He had changed for the better, but so had she. She knew now that he was a man worthy of her trust, a brave and strong hearted soul, even if he didn't believe it. Without a doubt, she was getting the better end of the deal in this relationship, and she treasured every bit of it.

# # #

**So...I've finally come through. Push the button and tell me what you think. :)**


	59. Back In The Swing Of Things

**Yes, it's been forever. Sorry about that. :) Still don't own anyone but Avery.**

# # #

Monday morning came far too quickly for House as he slowly limped into PPTH. The weekend painting party had taken a lot out of him, more than he cared to admit. He and Avery had made their way back over the following day to finish the trim work, ending the day on their new bedroom floor, christening the first room of the condo in spectacular fashion.

Cuddy breezed out of her office and caught up with him at the elevator, a case file in her hand and a smile on her face. He groaned inwardly at the sight, and blatantly tried to ignore her.

As usual, it was useless. "Morning, Cuddy. Morning, twins." House's eyes flicked to Cuddy's face. "What medical wonder do you have for me today?"

"45-year-old male, suffering from absent seizures and mood swings for the last month. Recently developed joint pain."

House arched an eyebrow. "Interesting." He held out his hand for the file. "Okay, hand it over. I'll pass it to the minions."

Cuddy tilted her head as she watched House step on the elevator. "Are you okay?"

House turned, fixing Cuddy with a small smile. "Fine. Little too much weekend in my weekend, that's all. And not for the reasons you think, either. Get your mind out of the gutter."

He could hear her laughing as the doors closed and the elevator started its trip to the fourth floor. It stopped at the third, and Wilson stepped on, looking a little like House felt.

The two men sized each other up, and Wilson spoke first. "Rough weekend?"

"You should know. You were there for most of it."

"Yeah." Wilson leaned against the back of the elevator for the brief trip. "I'm getting too old for this."

"You? How the hell do you think I feel?" House snorted, leaning on his cane. "We went back and finished all the trim work yesterday, and then...well, you know."

Wilson glanced over at House with a ghost of a grin. "You didn't."

"We did." House grinned. "Just one room, you know. If we'd had more time..."

"Right." Wilson chuckled as they exited the elevator. "See you for lunch?"

"Depends on how this thing goes." House held up his case file. "See you later."

He slowly limped into the conference room, sending Thirteen off to make copies of the case file and sitting down at the table with Foreman. "No Taub yet?"

"He's running a little late this morning. Should be here soon." Foreman sipped at his coffee as he looked over the case file.

House frowned. The last one of his team to 'run late' had been Kutner. Foreman caught the frown on House's face, and hurried to reassure him. "Really. He just had some kind of an appointment. It's fine."

Thirteen returned with the copies, and House started writing symptoms on the whiteboard. He sent Thirteen out to do a patient history, then limped into his office, plopping down in his office chair and checking his e-mails. He kind of hoped he could put his team to work so he could recover, just a little.

His pager going off at his hip killed that plan before it ever came together. He groaned and shoved himself out of his office chair, every muscle complaining as he and Foreman started down the hallway.

Foreman waited for him at the elevator, arching an eyebrow as House gracelessly approached. "Normally I wouldn't ask, but...are you okay?"

"Fine." House answered sharply. "Business first, gossip later."

The elevator opened, revealing Avery. Foreman noticed House's expression soften slightly as she stepped off, lightly touching House's hand and nodding to Foreman.

House captured Avery's fingers as she passed before following Foreman onto the elevator. Foreman knew that look, but he had never seen it on House until he had gotten together with Avery. That, he knew, was the look of a man in love. It wasn't something he would have associated with House, that was for damn sure.

A small snicker escaped his lips, evoking a sharp look from House. Foreman quickly covered his snicker with a cough as they continued the ride up to the patient's room.

The nurses had already managed to stabilize the patient by the time Foreman and House arrived, but they had a new symptom to add to the board.

"Well, _that_ was almost a complete waste of time." House grumbled as he slowly made his way back to the elevators, Foreman keeping pace with him. "Set him up for a CT scan when we get back."

The ride was silent, House tapping his cane on the floor. "Painting."

Foreman was utterly confused. "What?"

"That's why I'm a little slower than usual. Avery and I were painting the condo all damned weekend."

"Oh." Foreman wasn't sure why House was suddenly sharing personal information with him. It was strange, to say the least.

They were silent for a moment longer, until House uncharacteristically broke it again. "What was Thirteen like when she was planning the wedding?"

Foreman knitted his brows thoughfully. "She wasn't all Bridezilla, if that's what you're asking. She was very...focused." In reality, she had done the majority of the planning, only occasionally asking Foreman for input. "I'll bet Matthews will be the same way."

The elevator stopped at the fourth floor, and both men stepped out. House stopped at Avery's office, waving Foreman on to diagnostics. "Don't forget about the CT scan. I've got to stop in for a consult."

"Right." Foreman rolled his eyes and House barged into the head of cardiology's office. Those two were practically joined at the hip. One rarely saw one without the other anymore. It would have been creepy if it weren't for the people involved. Foreman shook his head and pushed open the door to the conference room, marking the additional symptom on the whiteboard and setting up the CT scan. A happy House had taken some getting used to, but it was well worth it. It would make it a lot easier when he told House his news later.

# # #

Avery jumped slightly when she heard her door bang open. She sighed and took off her glasses, rubbing her eyes as she looked up from the file she was working on.

"Hi, baby." She fixed House with a warm smile. "Something you need? Work-related, I mean."

House's eyes sparkled teasingly from the doorway as he closed the door behind him. "Just a 'consult' with my favorite cardiologist. And by 'consult', I of course mean..." He leaned over the desk to lightly kiss her lips. "...this."

Avery laughed gently and returned the kiss. Every since House had returned to full time duty, she could count on him barging into her office a couple times a day for one of his 'consults'. Once in a great while he had a real case with him, but not very often.

"Do you have a case?"

"Yeah." House flopped into one of the chairs in front of Avery's desk. "Just another jumble of seemingly unrelated symptoms, so it appears. I suspect I'm in for a late night."

"No big deal, baby." Avery picked up a pile of papers and started working through the pile as she chatted with House. "I have some loose ends to tie up at my place anyway. I'll probably start packing."

"Then I guess it's your place tonight." House's pager started going off, and he pushed himself out of the chair, leaning over the desk for one more kiss, taking in Avery's citrus scent. "Gotta go save a life."

"Go get 'em, baby." Avery waved him away, and her phone started ringing almost as soon as House left, slamming her door as he did so. "This is Doctor Matthews."

"It's Cameron." Cameron's warm voice carried over the phone line. "Wondering if you were free for lunch. I've got some more ideas for the wedding if you're interested."

Avery's eyes lit up at the idea. Ever since House's shooting, the two women had become remarkably close. Between Avery's wedding planning and Cameron's progressing pregnancy, they had a lot to chat about. "Of course. Does 12:30 work for you?"

"Perfect." Now that Cameron had been transferred from the ER to the immunology department, her schedule was much more regular. "I'll see you then."

Avery hung up, returning to her neverending pile of paperwork. She liked the regular hours that came with administration, but she hated the paperwork that came with it. She vaguely wondered if she could hire an assistant to deal with it all, but...no, better to do it herself.

There was a flurry of activity outside her door, and Avery could hear House's voice bellowing at his team. From what she could hear, the patient had crashed again, and House was furious. She knew it was out of frustration at his inability to solve the puzzle, but she also knew to give him a wide berth when he was in that mood.

It sounded as if his prediction of a long night could be correct, and Avery was somewhat grateful. Now she most likely had the better part of the night to start packing up in preparation for their move. It was all happening so fast, it seemed. Less than a month until the move, and not much longer than that before their wedding. Avery had tried to suggest a spring wedding, but House had been adamant on having a Christmas wedding. It was his way of finally creating happy holiday memories for himself, ones he had missed out on as a child and the majority of his adult life.

She smiled as she pulled out the folder from her bottom desk drawer and set it on top of her desk. If House had know about the wedding folder, he would have been horrified. She had overheard part of the conversation between House, Wilson, and Chase about insane bridal behavior, and she didn't want House to think that was the case. The wedding wasn't what made the marriage, after all, but the people involved. It was a great excuse to throw one hell of a party, though, and that was something she knew House would have no issue with.

The hallway was quiet once again, and Avery breathed a little easier. Her door flung open just as she was getting ready to meet up with Cameron, and she nearly ran headlong into House.

"Patients are lying bastards." He announced, thumping his cane on the floor. "Free for lunch?"

"Sorry, baby." Avery lightly patted him on the arm. "I'm meeting Cameron."

House rolled his eyes. "Again? What the hell for?"

"Wedding planning." Avery smiled and squeezed past House.

House turned as she started down the hallway, admiring the view as he did so. "I hear Vegas is lovely in December." He hollered as she waited for the elevator.

"Maybe for a honeymoon." She hollered back. "I am _not_ getting married in Vegas."

"Damn." House muttered. If he'd known what he was agreeing to...he would have done it again in a heartbeat. It was worth it just to see those coffee brown eyes of hers light up as she made plans. "Love you anyway." He once again bellowed down the hallway.

Avery laughed. "Love you too, baby. See you later."

He grinned to himself as he pushed open the door to the conference room. He could never hear those words enough from that woman. It was nothing short of a miracle that she had stuck with him all this time, and it had factored in their decision to move their wedding plans up from the spring. Suddenly it just seemed to House like too long a wait after all they had been through. He was on a mission now to live life with as few regrets as he could, and he didn't want this to be one of them.

"Okay, kids, what have you got for me?" He studied the evergrowing list of symptoms on the board as three sets of eyes turned to him. He immediately noticed Taub. "Nice of you to join us."

Taub simply gave House an even stare and continued on without missing a beat. "CT scan revealed nothing new, and the standard autoimmune tests have come back negative."

"So it's definitely _not lupus_." House wiped the possible diagnosis off the whiteboard. "Almost never is, you know."

Taub arched an eyebrow imperceptibly in response. "I still say it's more than one disease."

"Really." House leaned heavily on his cane. "This I've got to hear."

"It's been known to happen." Taub explained patiently. "The symptoms aren't necessarily connected." He went on to explain his theory, House becoming more interested as he went on.

Finally he nodded firmly. "Run with it. Let's see what happens." The three doctors rose as one and made their way out. "Not you, Taub. Need you for a second."

Taub sighed slightly and turned around. If House gave him an ounce of trouble for being late this morning...

"You remember when you got hitched, right?"

Taub was baffled. Why would House ask him about _that_? "Yes...every year. It's called an anniversary, and it's a special kind of hell if you forget it."

"Not what I meant." House huffed in exasperation. "I mean the wedding itself. What was your wife like when she was planning the thing?"

Taub's mouth turned upward in the closest thing to a full smile House had ever seen on the man. "Crazy. Of course, she's just that kind of person. She obsessed over every detail." House arched an eyebrow in response as Taub continued. "Matthews seems like a mellow woman, though." _She'd have to be to put up with House every day._ Taub thought to himself.

House twisted his mouth thoughfully. "I tried to convince her to go to Vegas, but...no go."

"I said she was mellow. I didn't say she was an idiot." Taub smiled a little on his way out the door. "I'd love to continue talking about your mini-crisis, but we've got a patient to attend to."

"Right." House waved him away. The short man was next to no help. He didn't know what he was so worried about, anyway. It wasn't in Avery's nature to go Bridezilla on anyone. He eased himself into his Eames chair, deciding on a quick nap before harassing Wilson for lunch. His old body was taking a beating today, and he was grateful for the short break while his team was dealing with the patient. Soon he relaxed, letting his eyes close, his chin hitting his chest. The team would be fine without him, just for a few minutes...

# # #

House awakened when he felt something shaking his shoulder. He blinked, reorienting himself to find Wilson standing over him.

"Still up for lunch?" Wilson's brows were wrinkled in concern.

"Yeah." House started to heave himself out of the chair, failing miserably on the first try. Annoyed, he pushed harder and made it on the second try, catching his balance before following Wilson to the elevators.

They ran into Avery and Cameron along the way, and House could see a hint of Cameron's growing belly. A brief pang went through House at the sight. He had sort of accepted that kids just weren't in the cards for them, but that didn't mean he didn't regret it, just a little.

He sighed a little to himself, and Wilson caught it immediately. He glanced over at House, who suddenly had a slightly pensive expression on his face. They stepped onto the elevator in silence.

"You ever think about having kids?" House finally asked.

Wilson shrugged. "Sure. Just never..."

"...found the right woman to have them with. Yeah." House looked a little downcast, tapping his cane on the floor. "You've still got a shot at it."

"Maybe." Wilson smiled and shrugged a little before it dawned on him what House was really talking about. "You and Matthews..."

"...talked about it, and that's about it." House sounded a little bitter. "We're too old for all that anyway. Sure would have been...something. I don't know."

Wilson's eyebrows shot up in mild surprise. He always knew House had a special connection with children, even if he'd never wanted to admit it, and he'd been remarkably gentle with Cuddy's young daughter. "Never knew you even thought about it."

"Doesn't matter anyway." House's face twisted into a smirk. "Her sister-in-law's preggo, so I guess I get a shot at being the weird uncle."

"That's not so bad, is it?"

"Nah." House's smirk transformed into a full smile. "Spoil the hell out of them and send them home. That's my plan."

"Sounds like a damn good one." Wilson chuckled at the idea of House spending significant time with small children. "Come on. I'm sure I'll have some fries you'll want to steal from me."

"Well, yeah." House snorted as he followed Wilson into the cafeteria. "Like you'll ever eat them all."

"Like I ever get a chance." Wilson countered, relieved that House's somewhat dark mood seemed to have abated.

House chuckled, comforted to know that whatever was going on in his life, he always had Wilson's lunch to pilfer. So much had changed for House, but that was one constant. It was a very good thing, no question.

# # #

It was earlier than he expected when House let himself into Avery's apartment, immediately tripping over the first of many boxes that were stacked up in the living room. Damn, the woman had been busy tonight. He limped heavily into the kitchen, finding a large container of leftovers and a Coke. After heating the container in the microwave, he plopped down on the couch, not bothering with the TV. Right now he just needed the peace and quiet after a frenetic day with his patient.

He didn't hear Avery pad in, and he was startled when she sat down on the couch next to him, a blanket wrapped around her against the cool night air.

"Hey, babe." House swallowed the bite in his mouth and gave her a quick kiss. "Figured you'd be asleep by now."

"I tried, but it just wasn't happening." Avery placed her head on House's shoulder. "I think I'm overtired."

"Could be." House nodded as he polished off the container and set it on the end table. "You've been busting your ass the last few days." He glanced over as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to him. "I wish you wouldn't. It's such a lovely ass."

"Thanks...I think." Avery laughed softly and draped her arm across House's waist, settling in on his chest. "How's your patient?"

"Stable for now. Still no closer to an answer." House took a long drink of his Coke before kissing the top of Avery's head, inhaling her soft scent. "Taub's spending the night with him."

"Good...that he's still alive, I mean." Avery murmured, feeling a little closer to falling asleep. "I wasn't expecting you until a little later. I didn't think it would be good news if you came in so soon."

"No news is...no news. But it's not necessarily bad news." House drained the last of his Coke, giving Avery one last squeeze. "You're falling asleep on me."

"Am not." Avery answered sleepily.

"Are too." House whispered, chuckling softly. "Let's get to bed."

He finally managed to shove Avery off him, and he followed her to bed, soon settling into their now familiar sleeping posture. Avery was curled up next to him, her head on House's chest and one long leg thrown over his. Soon he could hear her breathing even out and she snored lightly. He was grateful for this, for the stability Avery had brought into his life. It was good to have this to come home to after a difficult day.

_Home_. One simple word, but it meant so much. His apartment had mostly been an expensive storage unit for himself and his stuff for so many years. It had taken Avery to make it a home, and now they would be moving on into their own space, their own home.

He pulled Avery close to him, stroking her long brown hair and kissing the top of her head. Life was damn good now, and he was determined to keep it that way, no matter what it took. It was the least he could do for this woman that had brought him so much. Yes, it sounded like a damn fine plan to House.

# # #

**Okay, I know it took me forever to update this, but that doesn't mean you need to take forever to review. Push the green button and tell me what you think. :)**


	60. Born To Be Wild

**Here we go...as usual, I don't own them. I sure do have fun with them, though. :D**

# # #

House awoke to find Avery already gone. That wasn't particularly unusual, as she often started work far earlier than he did. He pushed himself to a sitting position and swung his legs over the bed. The loud complaining of his muscles yesterday had softened to a dull grumble as he slid out of bed and started stumbling toward the kitchen for the coffee he knew Avery would have left for him.

She was leaning against the counter when he stumbled in, and he was momentarily baffled by her presence. He leaned in to kiss her cheek as he grabbed his coffee mug, filling it with sugar and coffee. "What the hell are you still doing here, babe?"

"I live here, remember?" Avery laughed as she took a long sip of her coffee.

"Aren't you the funny one?" House grumbled. "Seriously, I thought you'd be long gone."

"I'm taking the day off. I've got about a million things to do, and I can't count on you having any extra time to handle it."

"I can think of one thing I can do..." House set down his coffee cup and lightly nuzzled Avery's neck while wrapping his hands around her waist.

"Ah...feeling better, are you?"

"Yep." House moved to capture Avery's lips, pulling her close to him in a long kiss. "I don't have anywhere to be for a while..."

Avery voiced no objections as House's hand moved under her shirt, feeling the exquisitely soft skin underneath. He pressed her against the counter, softly kissing her down her neck, ending at the collar of her t-shirt while he fumbled with the button on her jeans.

"I'm taking you back to bed, woman." House's voice rumbled in her ear.

"Fine with me, baby." Avery laughed as she took House's hand, following him down the hall and back to her bedroom.

Avery laid down on the bed, and House soon followed, picking up right where he left off, unzipping her jeans and placing his hand just inside, lightly caressing her along her hip before finding her soft center, feeling the extent of her growing desire.

Her hands lightly stroked House's back, evoking a soft growl from him as he pushed Avery's t-shirt to get to the softness that lay beneath. He kissed her on her stomach, hearing her breath catch as he moved upward, tracing along her bra with his tongue.

As he deftly popped open the front closure on her bra with one hand, the phone on the nightstand started singing its cheerful Hanson ringtone. House groaned as he pushed himself away to answer it.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." He growled as he opened the phone. "Someone had damn well better be _dying_."

He listened intently as he stroked Avery's stomach, watching her reactions. "Pump him full of steroids and keep an eye on him. I'll be there in...about an hour." He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "No, I can't. You can handle it until I get there." He snapped the phone closed and tossed it back on the nightstand. "Damn kids. Hate it when they interrupt me during something important."

"Mmm...the nerve of them." Avery murmured as House straddled her, pushing her t-shirt over her head and exposing her breasts. He bent down to take a nipple in his mouth, rolling it around and sucking it lightly before moving over to the other, giving it a similar treatment, listening to Avery's sighs and moans.

The phone rang again, singing out that familiar ringtone, but House ignored it. Avery stroked his head as the phone continued to ring. "Baby...you'd better get that."

"Jesus." House rolled over and opened the phone, laying on his back. "Now what?!" He scowled in annoyance and pushed himself to a sitting position. "Fine. I'm on my way in." He closed the phone and sighed heavily, rolling back over to Avery. "Gotta go. Apparently the kids need me."

Avery sighed and refastened her bra and jeans, sitting up to pull her t-shirt back on. "Oh well...maybe later."

"_Definitely _later." House pulled Avery to him for a long kiss. "Soon as I pull this guy's ass out of the fire, I'm coming back."

"You'd better not!" Avery laughed. "Cuddy will kill you!"

"Don't care." House growled and nuzzled Avery. "I've got way more important things to deal with than clinic duty."

"Get out of here, baby." Avery shoved House away, and he found his clothes and limped off toward the bathroom.

"Fine, I'm going." House grumbled. "Your loss."

"You'll be alright." Avery slid off the bed, heading back to the kitchen.

"Maybe." House poked his head out of the bathroom just as Avery passed by. "I could use a little help in here."

"If I do that, you'll never make it in." Avery answered. "You'll lose your patient."

"There you go, making sense again." House huffed and slammed the bathroom door, and Avery chuckled to herself as she made her way back to the kitchen for her now-cooled cup of coffee.

Soon House reemerged, shoving his feet into his shoes and flinging his backpack over his shoulder. He gave Avery a brief kiss on the cheek as he grabbed the travel mug she held out. "Have a great day, babe. See you later."

"Love you." Avery returned the kiss as House hurriedly limped out the door.

"Love you, too." House tossed out over his shoulder, a grin slowly growing on his face, despite the gravity of his patient's condition. The sooner he got his patient under control, the sooner he could get back over here, and the sooner they could finish what they started.

# # #

He climbed into his car, turning the key and listening to the old beast come to life. It was running a little rougher than usual, and it got him thinking about finally getting rid of the old thing. In all honesty, he deeply missed his motorcycle. The severity of the accident had initially put him off the idea of replacing it, but as time went on, the yearning grew.

Avery had already decided that she wanted nothing to do with a motorcycle, and even though she was nervous about House getting another one, she had actively encouraged him to replace the thing. The money from the insurance claim was sitting in his bank account, waiting for him to make a decision.

Maybe after he saved this guy, he'd swing out to the motorcycle dealership...just to look. That's all he wanted to do. He'd bought his Honda on an impulse, and this time...he wanted to take his time and pick the exact one he wanted. There was plenty of good riding weather left, and he wanted to take advantage of it.

He pulled into his parking spot, the old beast shuddering to a stop as he killed the ignition and hung his tag from the mirror. One way or another, the thing had to go, that much he knew for sure. It was a matter of what he wanted to replace it with.

The sound of his team calling pulled him out of his thoughts. "Don't worry. Elvis is about to limp into the building. Be there in a few."

He snapped the phone closed and shoved it in his pocket, grabbing his backpack and limping through the double doors. Motorcycle shopping would have to wait until he found out what the hell his team was doing to their patient.

# # #

House charged into the conference room, tossing his backpack in a chair and looking at the board. Foreman brought him up to speed, and House soon started leading the team in a different direction. He sent Taub and Thirteen to deal with the patient, picking up his backpack and heading into his office.

Foreman wasn't far behind, and he lingered near the door connecting House's office with the conference room, tapping a long envelope in his hand. He'd dreaded giving House this news ever since he'd returned from his honeymoon and seen the envelope in the mail.

House took care of his backpack and jacket and crossed the office to sit in his desk chair, turning his attention to his computer, logging in and going immediately to the Internet browser. Might as well get a little bike shopping done while he waited for Taub and Thirteen to come back with results.

He noticed Foreman standing by the conference room door, tapping an envelope and looking vaguely nervous and uncomfortable.

"Don't mind me." House waved him over. "I was just going to check out some porn while I waited." Foreman arched an eyebrow at House's weak attempt to shock him, and House merely rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine, it's bike porn. Same idea applies."

Foreman looked puzzled as he glanced at House's monitor. "You're getting a new bike? Is Matthews okay with that?"

"She's the one that's been bugging me to replace it." House's lips curved in a half-smile. "Anyway. You want something. What is it?"

The dread rose up in Foreman once again as he handed the envelope to House. "Got a job offer."

House scowled as he took the envelope from Foreman, opening it and reading the letter. "Alzheimer's research." He handed it back to Foreman, leaning back in his desk chair, studying the neurologist carefully. "You've been wanting this for a long time."

"Yeah." Foreman took a deep breath. "I've decided to take the offer."

House nodded. "I see."

"I start in three weeks." Foreman waited for House to say something, but the man seemed deep in thought. He would have gladly taken one of House's old digs over the silence that seemed to fill the room.

"Mm-hm." House frowned thoughtfully. "I guess there's only one question."

"What's that?"

"Am I shopping for one doctor or two?"

Foreman looked visibly relieved. "Just one. Remy's staying here for now, and I'm going to commute between here and New York."

"Could be hard on a marriage." House couldn't imagine driving back and forth between here and New York for any length of time. He'd miss Avery too much.

"It's only temporary." Foreman answered. "We've got it mostly worked out."

House twisted his mouth thoughtfully, finally rising and extending a hand across the desk. "They're getting one hell of a doctor."

Foreman carefully took House's hand and shook it firmly. "I learned from one of the best."

"You learned from _the_ best." House scowled and glared at Foreman. "I wish you nothing but the best."

Foreman was stunned. He didn't know what he'd expected, but this wasn't it. "Thanks...I think."

"What?!" House growled. "You've gotten all you can from this place. It's about damn time you moved on. I'm just glad I didn't have to fire you for you to figure it out."

Foreman nodded and turned toward the conference room, smiling slightly as he tapped the letter in his hand. Breaking the news had gone better than he'd expected, and now he allowed himself to be excited at the opportunity. He never thought he'd get another chance at a research position after the Huntington's drug trial debacle, and now this had landed in his lap.

It was a prime opportunity, and Foreman was determined not to screw it up. This was about creating a stable life for himself and his new wife, for however long they had. He hoped to establish himself well enough so that Remy didn't have to continue with her job if she didn't want to. They had briefly discussed it, especially as her symptoms seemed to wax and wane. For now she was equally determined to stick with this as long as she could, but it was good to have options, and that's all Foreman really wanted to do.

The ringing of the conference room phone pulled Foreman away from his thoughts, and he hit the speakerphone to answer.

"Foreman."

"Looks like we've stabilized him." Taub reported. "We'll have to wait and see how it goes, but I think we've got this thing nailed."

"Good." Foreman was relieved. "I'll let House know."

"Did you tell him?"

"Sure did."

Taub snickered, imagining how that conversation went. "You're still alive, so it must not have gone too badly."

"Actually...he took it pretty well." Foreman spoke confidently. "Shook my hand, wished me well, the whole nine yards."

Taub raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's...I don't know. Good."

"Yeah." Foreman fell into thought. "Anyway, I'll see you back up here."

He disconnected the call and poked his head through the door. "Taub called. Patient's stable. Looks like he's turned for the better."

"Good." House nodded, barely looking up from the bikes he was researching. He closed the browser and logged off, pushing himself out of his office chair and crossing his office to grab his backpack and jacket. "Now, if you don't mind...and even if you do...I've got my own research to do."

Foreman shook his head as House left the office. He would almost miss House's special brand of madness. While it wasn't enough to hold him here, but he was sure he'd never forget the unconventional, misanthropic, snarky older doctor. He only hoped, looking back, that he could ever be half the doctor House was.

# # #

House hurried out of the hospital, hoping to slip past Cuddy on his way out. There was no way in hell she would let him out of here with his patient in unknown condition. He had found a bike he was interested in, and he wanted to check it out while he had some riding nerve left.

He pulled into the dealership, his heart pounding in his chest as he spotted the rows upon rows of shiny machines before him. His eyes scanned the lot until they landed on the one he had seen online. An child-like excitement coursed through him as a grin curled onto his lips while he climbed out of the car, making his way over to the motorcycle and running his hands along the seat.

"That's a fine machine you've got your hands on, sir." The voice of the salesman pulled him out of his thoughts. "Have you ridden before?"

"Yeah." House smirked at the man's innocent question. "I had a Honda Repsol. Totalled it earlier this summer."

The salesman glanced down at House's cane and noticeable limp. "I see. Well, you know what they say. You get thrown off, get right back in the saddle."

House followed the saleman's eyes, knowing he was getting the wrong idea. "I'm good to ride now. This...is a much older injury."

"Gotcha." The salesman closed the distance between them and extended his hand. "Skip Miller. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I can get you a great deal right now..."

The salesman prattled on, and House tuned him out to examine the machine. The Kawasaki shone before him, a deep blue, and House could see himself leaning into the curves of the road, could already feel the power under him. He held his hand out to the still-blathering salesman. "Keys and a helmet."

Skip stopped mid-sentence. "You sure you're ready to test drive? I've got some other bikes out here you might like."

"I want to drive this one."

"Great." Skip's eyes lit up. It'd been a slow week, and he was grateful for the older man's interest. Even though he'd tried to hide it, he'd clearly been excited about the machine, and Skip didn't want to let the sale get away. "Follow me, sir, and we'll get you hooked up."

The salesman found the keys and an appropriate helmet for House and turned him loose. "Take as long a test drive as you need to. I want you to really get a feel for that thing. I think you're really going to like it."

House nodded solemnly as he strapped on the helmet, his hands shaking slightly. He started the bike, already feeling the power under him. A slow smile crossed his weathered features as he took off, tires squealing as he flew out of the lot and onto the road.

God, he'd missed this. He leaned into the curves of the road, just enjoying the freedom and the speed. He was already in love with the bike before ten miles had passed, and he wanted nothing more than to keep riding.

Before he realized it, he hit the same stretch of road where he'd had his accident. A bit of fear clutched at him at the memory, but he willed himself to keep riding. He sped up, leaving the accident site behind him, briefly wondering how David was doing in New York.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally turned around and rode back to the dealership. Skip was waiting for him when he pulled in, a big grin on his face.

"So...?" He eyed House as the older man took off the helmet and scrubbed his hand over his head. "You ready to make a deal?"

House grinned, a wide grin that Skip didn't expect. "Let's do this."

The deal was quickly sealed, and Skip shook House's hand after he signed the papers. "Congratulations. That's a damn fine bike you've got. Enjoy it."

"I plan to." House grinned as he took the keys and the helmet, limping out to the bike, lovingly stroking the seat. "You and me are going to have a _lot_ of fun together." With that, he strapped on the helmet, started the bike, and peeled out of the lot. He could hardly wait to show it off to Avery. Maybe he could eventually talk her into riding with him sometime. That way he could combine his two great loves—Avery and his motorcycle. The idea thrilled him to no end.

# # #

House pulled into the parking area under Avery's building, digging his phone out of his pocket to call her.

"Hey, baby." Her warm voice carried over the phone. "What's up?"

"Come down to the parking garage and I'll show you." House answered, barely able to contain his excitement. "I'm parked right next to you."

Intrigued, Avery closed her phone and made her way down to where she usually parked. She saw House astride a bright blue motorcycle that rivaled the color of his eyes. "Baby, that's gorgeous!"

"Isn't she?" House grinned like a kid as he stroked the bike. "It's a Kawasaki ZZR 600. Thing of beauty." He motioned to the seat behind him. "Climb on."

"Oh, I don't think so, baby." Avery looked doubtful.

"I'm not going anywhere. Just sit."

Avery climbed on, wrapping her arms around House. She had to admit, the sight of House on that motorcycle was damned sexy.

"Lean against me." House's voice was a low growl. He loved the feel of Avery behind him, her arms wrapped around him. She acquiesced, leaning into him and taking a deep whiff of his leather jacket. "Can't you see it?" House murmured. "The two of us, flying down the road...going wherever the day takes us..."

"That could be fun..." Avery admitted.

"That would be fucking awesome." House growled, turning to give Avery a firm kiss, lingering as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. "Ever made out on a motorcycle?"

Avery couldn't help but laugh. "No, I can't say that I have."

"Me neither." House chuckled as he broke away from her. "Be fun to try, don't you think?"

"One thing at a time, baby." Avery pressed against House, squeezing him gently. "I'd rather take you back upstairs. We still have unfinished business from this morning, remember?"

"Hell yes, I remember." House grinned, helping Avery off the bike before dismounting himself. "The details are a little fuzzy, though. Might need your help remembering those."

"That I can do." Avery wrapped her arms around House's neck, pulling him down to her for a long kiss. "Does that help?"

"Mmm...it's a start, babe." House placed his hands around her waist, letting his hands spread out. "I could use a little help once we get inside."

"Anything you need, baby." Avery kissed him one more time. "I'm your woman."

"Yes you are." House grinned as he looked down at her. She was his, and he was damned grateful for it...again.

# # #

**You know what happens next. Read and review. :)**


	61. Just To See You Smile

**Sorry for the extreme delay. I did not forget this one, promise. The only one I own here is Avery. Enjoy. :)**

# # #

The image of Avery wrapped around him on the back of the motorcycle stuck with House as they rode the elevator back to Avery's apartment. If only he could find a way to convince her...he could see her in a body-hugging leather jacket, all that soft hair piled up under a helmet...God, the front of his jeans were getting uncomfortably tight just thinking about it.

He managed to shake off the image long enough to step off the elevator and follow Avery down the hall to her apartment. She was dressed simply in a t-shirt and jeans, the well-worn denim perfectly molded to her soft curves, something that didn't escape House's notice as he came up behind her while she unlocked the door.

"Baby...we'll never get inside if you don't quit distracting me." Avery's voice caught in her throat as House brushed his lips up the back of her neck.

"So we'll give the neighbors one last show before you move out." House rumbled in her ear, his hands slipping under her t-shirt. "They'll never forget you."

A girlish giggle bubbled up out of Avery as she managed to get the door open, House stumbling in right behind her. He growled as he grabbed her around the waist. "How about a little warning next time? I could have knocked you down."

"And then you would have had to check me all over...just to make sure I was okay." Avery turned and wrapped her arms around House's neck. "Matter of fact...maybe I need you to do that now."

House smirked as he guided Avery toward the bedroom. "Like you'd ever have to ask. I'd do that for you anytime."

Once in the bedroom, Avery pulled House down to her for a soft, long, lingering kiss, gently pushing her tongue into House's mouth to tangle with his. A low moan escaped him as she pushed his jacket off his shoulders before smoothing her hands down his muscular arms.

He gently pushed her to the bed, working his way down her throat while his rough hands slid under her t-shirt, caressing the soft skin underneath. "Everything feels good so far...but I think I'd better keep checking."

"You do that." Avery answered softly, closing her eyes as House pushed the t-shirt over her head. He started a trail of kisses along the curve of her breasts, working his way across before popping open the front closure. House's breath caught in his throat as he bent down to take a nipple in his mouth, rolling his tongue over it, evoking a soft moan from her.

House lifted his head, reaching down to undo her jeans and slip a hand inside. He easily found her warm, moist center, and he watched as Avery's soft brown eyes fluttered closed, a sigh escaping her lips while she arched into his touch.

She pushed her jeans down the rest of the way, kicking them aside so that she was fully exposed to House. He shifted so that he lay alongside Avery, kissing her forehead, the tip of her nose, and finally her soft lips. "This…" House whispered as he rubbed a little more firmly. "…feels good to me, too. I think I'd better investigate further."

"Mmmm…." Avery moaned softly as House slipped a finger inside her while continuing to caress her with a thumb. She wrapped her arms around him and moved her hands under his shirt, allowing her hands to roam all over his muscular back and shoulders.

House growled in pleasure at the feel of her hands on him, and he moved from her lips to her neck, taking in her citrus scent as he worked his way down her body, eventually replacing his thumb with his tongue.

He gently rolled his tongue over her, still playing inside her with one finger, thrilling to the sounds of pleasure coming from above him as Avery squirmed and arched under him. She suddenly wrapped her legs around him, and House could feel her tense around his finger before she went over the edge, relaxing with a soft sigh as she stroked the top of his head.

House kissed his way back up to Avery, capturing her lips in a long kiss as she pushed his t-shirt up his body. He pulled back enough to allow her to take it all the way off, chuckling slightly when she threw it aside and moved to unbuckle his jeans.

Avery rolled them over so that she straddled House, continuing to undo his jeans, lightly tracing one finger along his waist. House emitted a low growl at the touch, reaching out to circle her waist with his large hands. "You're killing me, woman."

She smiled sweetly as she gently worked his jeans and boxers off his body, lightly running her hands up his legs. "Do you need to be examined, too?"

"From head to toe, babe." House rumbled.

"Hmm…let's see what I can do about that." Avery leaned over House, smoothing her hands over his arms, moving them so that they were over his head, gently pinning them while she bent down to plant a long, lingering kiss to his lips, breaking away to start a trail down his chest, ending with her taking his hardening shaft in her hand.

She flicked her tongue over the tip, making House jump as he roughly caressed her head before taking him in her mouth, bringing him ever closer to that edge with every touch of her tongue and lips.

Avery slowed her ministrations just before House went over, moving to straddle him once again. She eased herself on him, finding a steady rhythm while House's hands roamed over her, feeling everywhere he could reach.

He finally found his release, arching upward into her with a loud groan before pulling her down to rest on his chest. "I think everything…checks out, babe."

"I'd say so." Avery murmured as she rested against him, his spicy scent filling her nostrils as she slipped her hands under House's shoulders, listening to his heartbeat as it finally slowed to normal.

Hanson started singing from the floor where House's jeans lay, and Avery pushed herself off House to find the phone and hand it to him. He groaned and flipped it open.

"Congratulations." He snarked. "Your timing's improving."

Taub and Foreman looked at each other and rolled their eyes on the other end of the phone. Taub spoke first. "We've got new symptoms. He's developed a rash all over his body, and it's not an allergic reaction."

House rolled his own eyes, pulling Avery in before she could move too far away. "Is he dying?"

"Not _yet_." Foreman answered cautiously. "We're still testing, but it looks like it could be autoimmune."

"Call me back when something happens." House snapped. "I've got…more important matters to attend to." He nearly closed his phone when he heard Thirteen shouting in the background. "Wait. What did she say?"

"She said the patient just coded." Foreman spoke hurriedly. "We'll keep you posted."

"I'm on my way in." House growled and snapped his phone closed. "Fuck."

"What's the matter, baby?" Avery murmured from House's chest.

House kissed the top of her head. "Patient's taking a nosedive. I've gotta run."

Avery lifted her head, allowing House to push himself to a sitting position to get dressed. She propped herself up on one elbow, watching the muscles in his back flex as he pulled on his jeans and threw his t-shirt over his head. "At least you've got that new bike to get you there. You should be there in no time."

House paused, grinning slightly. "There is that."

"Speaking of…vehicles and whatnot…" Avery questioned. "What did you do with your car?"

House twisted his mouth, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "I _might_ have sort of left it at the motorcycle dealership."

Avery laughed softly. "Do you plan on going after it?"

"Not really." House swung his legs back onto the bed, rolling over to face Avery, wincing slightly as he pressed his weight on his right leg. "Why, do you want it?"

"Of course not." Avery leaned in to meet him for a quick kiss. "I'm just wondering what you're going to do come winter."

House shrugged, taking one more quick kiss from Avery before pushing himself off the bed. "I'll figure out something. Now really, woman, quit holding up my progress. I've got a dying patient, you know."

"Right." Avery laughed again and started to get dressed herself. "Go on, go save your patient. And…enjoy your ride."

House grinned as he left the bedroom and found his shoes and jacket. That was one good thing about having to go back to the hospital. He got to ride his new baby, and that was almost as good as riding his…well, no, he would never dare call Avery old.

He heaved his backpack over his shoulder and left the apartment, bouncing his cane on the floor of the elevator all the way down to the parking garage. The bright blue bike shone before House, and he eagerly mounted it, firing it up and jamming his helmet over his head.

This was almost worth having to go back to the hospital, House thought to himself as he flew through the streets of Princeton, smoothly pulling into his handicapped space. Avery was right, of course. He would have to find something else to drive before winter set in, but…that could wait. Right now, his latest mystery was unfolding before him, and he did have this beauty to ride before the weather turned too awful on him.

He gave the bike an appreciative pat before limping into the building, already feeling the yearning to go out for a good long ride. House half hoped that Wilson was still around. He couldn't wait to see Wilson's face when he showed off his latest acquisition. While House knew he'd have to endure a bit of scolding from Wilson, it would be worth it just to see his reaction.

That would have to wait, too, as his phone belted out its familiar tune in his pocket. He dug it out and flipped it open. "On my way. Try to keep him alive until I get there, will you? It'll be easier to cure him if he's still breathing."

He turned his head over his shoulder, seeing the bike shine under the parking lot lights. Yes, it had definitely been worth playing a little hooky to get that thing. He grinned like an idiot all the way up to diagnostics.

# # #

"So, what's the good word?" House's booming voice filled the conference room, making the three doctors jump. "And it had better be good, otherwise I've been called in here for nothing."

"Leave something turned on at home, did you?" Taub deadpanned, much to Foreman's and Thirteen's amusement.

"As a matter of fact, no." House turned to Taub with a glare. "I already took care of that, short man. Now bring me up to speed."

Thirteen managed to wipe the smile from her face to refocus on the patient. "He went into respiratory arrest right after we started him on steroids for the rash. The rash hasn't changed, but BP is still up and he's on a ventilator."

House limped over to the whiteboard and started scribbling. "Check the patient for ticks. Should be easy enough to do while he's unconscious."

The three doctors rose as one to leave, and House limped heavily into his office, his burst of energy gone as quickly as it had appeared. He flopped down in his desk chair to check e-mail and play a few rounds of solitaire while he waited for his team to return with what he hoped would be the evidence of the disease that was taking down the patient.

His office door opened, and Wilson appeared, his eyebrows seeming to shoot straight into his hairline. "I thought you left? What brings you back here?"

"Damn patient won't quit trying to die." House turned away from the computer and pushed himself out of his chair. "Follow me. I've got something to show you."

The light in House's eyes worried Wilson, but he followed his friend anyway. The ride downstairs was silent except for the sound of House's cane tapping on the floor. The pair stepped off the elevator, and Wilson followed House outside to his parking spot.

Wilson's mouth dropped wide open when he saw the machine that was parked in his spot. "Is that yours?" He winced at his foolish question. "I mean…of course its yours, but…when?"

"Earlier today." House grinned like a kid as he smoothed his hand over the seat. "Beautiful, isn't she?"

"Uh, yeah." Wilson's eyes looked over the bike, still stunned at its presence. "So, where's your car?"

"Left it at the dealership." House casually waved his cane around. "Not like I have any use for it."

Wilson folded his arms over his chest. "You won't be saying that come winter. What are you going to do then?"

House rolled his eyes and thumped his cane on the asphalt. "I'll figure out something. I kind of like Avery's car. Maybe I'll get something like that."

"I don't know." Wilson looked doubtful. "I kind of see you in something sportier."

House shrugged. Truthfully, now that he had this fine piece of machinery, he didn't really care what got him through the winter. "We'll see."

Wilson chuckled and shook his head. "I still can't believe you got another motorcycle. I'd say you have a death wish, but…"

"Trust me, I don't." House spoke sharply. "Let's just say…it was time."

"Don't get me wrong." Wilson added as he turned back toward the hospital. "It's a good thing. One would think after that accident, you wouldn't want to get back on the horse, as it were."

House looked thoughtful as he followed Wilson back inside and stepped onto the elevator. "I didn't for a while. Got to thinking about it, started seeing everyone out on their bikes…and it made me want one again."

"And Matthews is okay with this?" Wilson arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Surprised me, too." A slow smile crept onto House's weathered face. "I still haven't convinced her to ride with me, but…"

"I've seen how you drive that thing. I wouldn't want to ride with you either." The two men stepped off the elevator, heading for their respective offices. "See you around, House."

"Yep." House strode into his office, noting his team was once again sitting around the conference room, actively discussing something. He pushed through the door that separated the two rooms, poking his head inside. "Well?"

"No tick." Foreman replied. "We looked everywhere."

House frowned thoughtfully. "Guess we're stuck here until we _do_ get it figured out."

The three doctors looked at each other and at House. It looked like they were in for a long night.

# # #

After House left, Avery continued packing up the apartment, moving on to the kitchen. Chances were good that she wouldn't be cooking here much longer, and she could pack up some of her less frequently used items.

As she packed, she marveled at the sheer amount of _stuff_ she had managed to accumulate in her short time in Princeton. It seemed to Avery that she had far less when she had packed to move from Chicago. Of course, then she had been able to unload some of her unnecessary items off on family and friends, but still.

She wondered what it would be like for House to leave his apartment. In her short time here, she had grown fond of her own place. Avery could only imagine what it would be like for House, who had lived in his place for over ten years.

Her ringing phone pulled her out of her thoughts, and she quickly opened it. "Matthews."

"Hey, it's Cameron again." Cameron's cheery voice brought a smile to Avery's face. "I found some info on that bed and breakfast we were talking about. Do you have some time?"

"Sure. Greg's back at the hospital tonight, and I'm just doing some packing. Come on over."

"Great. I'll be there in a few." Cameron paused briefly. "Oh, I've got something else to show you, too. See you when I get there."

"Bye." Avery closed her phone, marveling at how quickly she and the younger woman had bonded. Cameron had been a world of help in planning Avery's wedding, offering up her advice and experience in not only wedding matters, but in House matters as well.

Soon there was a knock at the door, and Cameron all but bounced in, a wide smile lighting her face. Avery gave her a quick hug and waved her in. "Something tells me you're excited about something more than this bed and breakfast."

"Maybe." Cameron was being deliberately cagey. She pulled out a folder and set it on the coffee table while Avery fixed them both a pot of tea.

Avery brought out the pot and two mugs, filling them both and setting one in front of Cameron. The cardiologist picked up the folder and opened it, her brown eyes going wide when she saw the contents. "Twins?! That's…amazing!"

"I know, right?" Cameron could no longer contain her excitement. "I thought it was a possibility when I was…growing a little more than normal, but I never dreamed…" A faraway expression took over her face at the notion. "Robert was nervous before, now he's _really _going to flip."

"He doesn't know yet?"

Cameron shook her head. "I haven't had a chance. He's been in surgeries all day, and I just had this ultrasound late this afternoon." Her brow furrowed in thought. "I know he's excited about this…these babies, but he's worried about what kind of father he'll be. He didn't have the greatest example to follow."

Avery nodded, thinking over the few conversations she and House had about the very subject. "He's aware that he gets to make his own path, right? I've seen Chase around babies. He'll be a wonderful father."

"I keep trying to tell him that, but…you know how hard it is to convince someone." Cameron laughed ironically. "You should, anyway. You live with House."

Avery couldn't help but laugh in return. "I don't know a lot about Greg's childhood, but I get the idea that it wasn't particularly…happy." She looked thoughtful for a moment as she sipped her tea, finally shaking her head. "At any rate…what's this bed and breakfast you found?"

The light returned to Cameron's face as she pulled out the brochure. "This place is beautiful. They have someone who can perform weddings right on site, and they can handle the catering, too. Thing is, the place can only hold about forty people."

Avery briefly ran down numbers in her mind. "That should be plenty. We weren't planning on having that many people." She pored over the brochure, admiring the building and the interior pictures. It was a Victorian style mansion, and Avery could already envision the wedding space decorated for Christmas, her and House's closest friends and family filling the seats. "This looks nearly perfect, Cameron. I'll call them tomorrow after I run it by Greg."

"Sounds good." Cameron took a sip of her tea. "You know, I'm really happy for both of you, but especially for House."

Avery was slightly surprised. "Really?"

"Really." Cameron nodded firmly. "I don't think he ever intended to be alone. It just sort of…happened. You've been really good for him. He's as close to happy as I've ever seen him."

"That's good to know." Avery smiled warmly as she took a long drink from her mug. "Do you think he'll like this place?"

"I think that as long as you're there, the location won't matter." Cameron drained the remains of her tea and rose to leave. "I've got to get home. Hopefully I'll be able to break the news to Robert."

"He'll be fine." Avery gave the younger woman a brief hug. "Give him a little time to get used to the idea. I'll bet he'll be waving that ultrasound all over the hospital before too long."

"I hope so." Cameron laughed and returned the hug. "See you around."

Cameron opened the door, nearly running into House. He looked her up and down with a frown. "Are you sure you're only growing one little wombat in there? Sure looks like you're eating for more than two."

Cameron couldn't repress the smile that crossed her face as she pulled out the ultrasound and handed it to House. A slow smile crossed his face as he shook his head. "Shit, Cameron, I was just kidding. You really do have a pair of kangaroos bouncing around in there." He handed back the ultrasound. "Does your baby daddy know yet?"

"I was just about to tell him." Cameron's brow wrinkled in worry. "Hopefully he won't pass out when I do."

"He'll be okay." House assured her. "Can't think of anyone who'd be a better dad than Chase."

Cameron nearly felt the need to pick her jaw up from the floor. House was being…_supportive_, no snarking, no mocking. "You really think so?"

"Yep." House nodded firmly. "Now go break the news to the big wombat and leave us grown-ups alone."

Cameron snorted as she left. Now _that_ was more like the House she had come to know and like. "Have a good night, you two."

"Bye, Cameron." Avery closed the apartment door behind her, turning to face House. "Did you really mean that about Chase?"

"Of course I did." House answered as he found a Coke in the refrigerator. He leaned against the counter as he cracked it open. "You should know me better than that. What was she doing here, anyway?"

"Well, aside from the big news…" Avery crossed the apartment to hand House the brochure. "She found this place. I thought we could have the wedding there."

House looked over the brochure, frowning thoughtfully. "Does that mean we can have the wedding night there, too?"

Avery laughed at House's priorities. "Of course, baby. I think that's part of why Cameron suggested it."

"It looks awfully small." House looked doubtful. "You sure it'll hold all the people you want to invite?"

"It'll hold up to forty people. I wasn't planning on inviting that many. It should be fine."

House nodded. "If you like it, go for it. Just tell me when and where to show up."

Avery wrapped her arms around House, kissing him lightly. "This is your wedding, too, you know. I want you to have good memories of this day."

House's face softened as he lightly stroked her cheek. "As long as you're there, babe, it's sure to be a good memory. Book the place, okay?"

"Consider it done." Avery turned to return to the living room, and House tilted her head to watch her go. His heart pounded in his chest just a little. This wedding thing was really happening now. He wondered if he should mention the wedding rings he had run across online while he was waiting for his team to report back on test results.

That could wait, he decided. Right now it was late, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with his…_fiancee_. That sounded beautiful, but House almost couldn't wait until he could call her his _wife_. It was a word he never thought he would say, ever.

House pushed himself away from the counter, following Avery down the hall as she closed down the place for the night. Before too long, they would be going through this ritual in their own place, as husband and wife. It filled House with a warmth he wasn't sure he had felt…ever.

As he lay in bed with Avery that night, her warm body curled up next to him, he couldn't help but think how damned lucky he was. He hoped Avery felt something similar as he drifted off to sleep.

# # #

**Now it's your turn. Hopefully you won't take as long to review as I did to update. :P**


	62. A Better Future

**Back featuring my usual disclaimers. Avery is the only character that belongs to me. Everyone else belongs to David Shore and Fox.**

# # #

House sat in his desk chair the next morning, waiting for his team to return with more test results. The tick theory had turned out to be a wash, and so now they were investigating alternative theories.

He turned when he heard the office door open, puzzled when it revealed Chase. The young surgeon wore a somber expression as he approached House's desk.

House turned fully and clasped his hands together, leaning forward on his desk. "Let me guess."

"Twins." Chase's tone was clipped. "Yeah, she told me."

"And…?"

"And…" Chase began pacing in front of House's desk. "I just got used to the idea of having one baby. How the hell are we supposed to handle _two_ babies?"

"You know what you need?" House shifted so that he could lift his feet to rest on the desk. "You need to come by my place tonight."

Chase wrinkled his brow in confusion. He couldn't help but feel like he was about to get roped into something. "And why would I want to do that?"

House looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Like you need an excuse to get away from twice the crazy preggo hormones?"

Chase didn't want to admit that House might have a point. Cameron's moods were changing faster than he could keep up with them, and their home life had become a little more stressful as a result. A night away couldn't hurt. "Alright, I'll come over. Need me to bring anything?"

"Beer." House looked ponderous for a moment. "And possibly some empty cardboard boxes."

_Cardboard boxes…? Oh, HELL no. _"I am not helping you pack, House."

"Oh come on!" House dragged his feet down from the desk, rising to limp around to the front to clasp Chase on the shoulder. "You already agreed to bring beer. Besides, Wilson's coming."

"Does he know that?" Chase regarded House skeptically.

"He will soon…" House's eyes wandered around the room as he tapped his cane on the floor.

Chase shook his head. "Fine. What time?"

"Eight should work." House nodded firmly. "Don't forget the boxes. And don't bring that Aussie crap, either. Bring real beer."

Chase was already out the door by the time House made his beer crack. Maybe a night away from Cameron wouldn't be such a bad thing, and House could probably use the help with packing. God only knew how much crap the man had managed to accumulate over ten years of living in that apartment.

House chuckled to himself as he watched Chase stride down the hall toward the elevators. He didn't know what Chase was so damned worried about. One more baby should be no problem for him and Cameron. Maybe the young doctor just needed some time to settle into the idea. What better way than drinking beer and packing…bonding with he and Wilson.

_Speaking of…_House supposed it wouldn't hurt to let Wilson in on his plan. He should if he had any hope of getting his help with packing.

It wasn't as if House couldn't do the job himself, but the idea of breaking down the apartment he had called home for so many years filled him with dread. Besides, it would be helpful to have someone take down all those damn books from the top shelf instead of him struggling with it.

House strode out of his office, heading toward Wilson's office, but not before making a brief detour into Avery's office.

"Something you need, baby?" Avery fixed him with a warm smile.

"Nah." House easily leaned over her desk for a quick kiss. "You get the link I sent you this morning?"

"The one with the wedding rings? Oh yes, and they're beautiful. Is that what you want?"

"Wouldn't have sent the link along if I didn't." House responded.

"I'll get them ordered, then." Avery scribbled a note to herself and stuck it to her computer monitor. "I think I'll call that bed and breakfast at lunch while I'm at it."

"Sounds like a plan, babe." House leaned across her desk for one more kiss. "Oh, don't bother stopping by tonight. Kind of got a guys' thing going."

Avery started laughing gently. "I didn't know packing was a 'guy thing'."

House stared at her incredulously. "How did you know?"

"I heard Chase muttering to himself as he went down the hallway. Something about 'that damn House roping me into packing his crap'?"

House rolled his eyes as he turned to go. "Anyway…I guess if you wanted to invade Guyland…I'd let you."

Avery leaned forward and looked over her glasses at House. "I look forward to it. I'll see if I have any boxes to spare."

"That'd be cool." House left Avery's office and headed toward Wilson's, swinging the door open to see the younger man bent over his desk, working his way through his usual mountain of paperwork.

He lifted his head when he saw House enter. "What do you want, House?"

"Oh, now, don't sound so suspicious, Jimmy." House plopped down on Wilson's couch, bouncing his cane between his legs. "Maybe I just came to visit."

"Or maybe you came to drag me into your packing party."

"Damn." House growled. "Chase already came and talked to you."

"Yep, sure did." Wilson gave House a smug look. "Still need another hand?"

"Sure." House nodded. "Swing by around eight. Bring beer and boxes."

"Beer and boxes." Wilson nodded in reply. "Sounds like the makings of one wild party."

"Sure, right up until Avery shows up." House grinned and winked. "See you later."

He turned and left, leaving Wilson shaking his head. Packing up that apartment was going to be nothing short of a nightmare, he already knew that. The man was nothing if not a packrat. Packing the books alone would be a major endeavor, and even with he and Chase to help, they weren't likely to get too far tonight. If nothing else, he would be able to spend some time with House. That alone seemed like a good enough reason to join the packing party.

# # #

House stepped on the elevator and headed down to the main floor in the direction of Cuddy's office. He had promised to stop by to pick up a pile of resumes in preparation to replace Foreman.

God, he hated this part of his job. The tedium of the administrative end of his job never got any better for him. It was almost as bad as clinic duty. He pushed his way through Cuddy's office door, planting himself directly in front of her desk.

"Yes?" Cuddy raised her eyebrows as she set down her pen.

"Need those resumes." House held out his hand. "Foreman's bailing out in just over two weeks, and I need to hurry up and replace him."

"I know." Cuddy found the pile and handed them to House.

"Think I could hire two? We never replaced Kutner."

Cuddy froze at the mention of the young man's name. "Should we?"

"Or we could just replace Kutner and forget about Foreman." House looked thoughtful as he glanced around the room, tapping his cane on the floor.

Cuddy pursed her lips, still holding the pile of resumes in her hand. "Just hire someone. And don't get any crazy ideas about playing Survivor or some other reality show posing as interviews."

"Like I've got time for something like that." House rolled his eyes and took the pile from Cuddy's hand.

"So I've heard." Cuddy's face lit in a wide smile. "Any special reason you and Matthews decided to move up the wedding?"

House shrugged. "Just didn't want to wait any longer. It's been a long time coming."

Cuddy set her chin on her hands and stared across her desk at House. "Yes, yes it has. Congratulations. And good luck replacing…Foreman or Kutner. Whatever works for you."

House twisted his mouth in an unreadable expression. There would be no replacing Kutner, he knew that. He wasn't sure he needed another defibrillator expert on his team. "Foreman it is, then."

Cuddy watched House turn around and limp out of her office, the pile of resumes clutched in his hand. She marveled at the changes that had come over House since he had gotten together with the head of cardiology. It amused her that it was a cardiologist that had finally won House's heart, and she wondered if House either noticed or appreciated the irony behind that. Most likely not, as House always seemed to miss these things as they related to himself.

House stepped onto the elevator, skimming through the pile of resumes as he returned to his office, automatically rejecting the first few. He barely noticed Foreman stepping on until he heard his voice.

"One or two?"

House was briefly disoriented, taking a moment to return to reality. "Just one. Want to help me dig through the pile of losers?"

Foreman chuckled. "What, no Japanese game show this time?"

"Tempting, but…no." House looked vaguely disappointed. "Cuddy already shut me down for that one."

"Too bad." Foreman leaned against the back of the elevator. "You know, that _was_ kind of fun, now that I look back on it."

"Got a wife out of it, didn't you?" House glanced over at the neurologist, who was playing with the titanium band on his left hand.

"Yeah, I did." Foreman glanced over at House. "So…you and Matthews are really going to do this."

"So it seems." House's lips curled in something like a smile. "No turning back now."

"You could." Foreman noted. "But I don't think you really want to."

As the two men stepped off the elevator, House spotted Avery leaving her office, poring over a file as she strode toward them. She lifted her eyes just enough to catch House's, and their fingers brushed lightly as they passed each other.

Foreman caught the motion, shaking his head and chuckling slightly. House fixed him with a sharp glare and unceremoniously shoved half the resumes into his hand.

Foreman arched an eyebrow. "What was that for?"

"That's for catching me flirting with my woman." House snarked as he pushed through the door of his office. "Be grateful I don't stick you with all of them."

"Right." Foreman rolled his eyes and pushed through the conference room door, flipping through the resumes as he did so. He couldn't believe how many people actually _wanted_ to work for a man like House.

If he really stopped to think about it, Foreman had to admit that it had been one hell of a learning experience. He would actually miss the place when he left. Maybe not the hours or the verbal abuse that House had been known to heap on him, but the medical mysteries? Definitely. One thing about this job, it had rarely been boring.

His pager went off, and he met House in the hallway as they raced to deal with their patient. _Nope, definitely not boring_, he thought as he boarded the elevator and rode down to the patient's room.

# # #

House limped heavily into the patient's room, Foreman close behind as Taub and Thirteen worked over the patient. Between the four of them, they managed to stabilize him, but they were no closer to a diagnosis.

They returned to the conference room, continuing to kick around ideas as House scribbled them on the whiteboard. After some debate, Taub and Thirteen left to conduct their respective tests, leaving Foreman and House alone in the room.

House frowned as he looked over the whiteboard. "How is she?"

Foreman took a long drink from his coffee mug. "Who?"

"Your lovely wife, obviously." House answered, still focused on the whiteboard.

"She's holding her own. No better, but no worse, either." Foreman shuffled through the pile of resumes in front of him. "Maybe you should shop for two doctors, you know, just in case."

House twisted his mouth in response. "Do you regret marrying her? I mean…knowing how it's going to end."

"Hell no." Foreman answered vehemently. "For all I know, something could happen to me before something happens to her." He arched an eyebrow in House's direction. "Why? Are you having second thoughts?"

"Me?" House whipped around to face Foreman. "No, but…never mind. Forget I mentioned it."

Foreman tilted his head and folded his arms across his chest. "So what, you're thinking your time's limited, and Matthews shouldn't be wasting that time on you?"

House shifted uncomfortably, leaning heavily on his cane. "Something like that." He mumbled.

Foreman leaned back in the chair. "Some guy gave me good advice a while back. Something about…if I loved her…" He shrugged. "I don't remember exactly, but it seemed to make sense at the time. Makes more sense now, come to think of it."

"Only because your head's not as far up your ass as it used to be." House growled as he turned back toward the whiteboard, hiding a slight smile.

"Anyway…" Foreman merely rolled his eyes at House's statement. "She's obviously in love with you. If you've only got a few years left…you might as well make the most of them."

House smirked as he scribbled a few more notes on the whiteboard. He had every intention of doing just that.

The phone rang, and Foreman quickly hit the speakerphone. "So who won the bet?" House called out.

There was a long pause before Thirteen spoke. "I did. Infection coupled with an allergy to steroids."

"Go forth and pump him full of antibiotics." House instructed. "See you up here in a bit. And Taub?"

There was another long pause. "Yes, House?"

"Thanks for playing."

On the other end of the phone, Taub rolled his eyes while Thirteen snickered. Some things would never change, it seemed. "Hard to believe Foreman wants to leave all this behind."

Thirteen shrugged. "He's been waiting for the opportunity to get into research for a long time."

"How long until you join him in New York?"

"We haven't decided yet." Thirteen hooked up the patient's antibiotics and left the room, Taub right behind her. "As long as things don't progress any further, I'm staying here."

They continued chatting as they stepped onto the elevator, running into Avery along the way. Thirteen fixed her with a warm smile as Taub nodded, casually looking her up and down.

"So…" Thirteen started. "Word on the street is that you and House are moving up the wedding to December?"

Avery laughed softly. "Is that all anyone has to talk about?"

A slight smile spread over Taub's face as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. "The fact that someone's marrying House is what has everyone talking. When and where is just bonus gossip."

"I don't see why everyone's so surprised." Avery flipped through the file she was holding. "It was bound to happen eventually. If not me, then it would have been someone else."

Thirteen and Taub simply looked at each other. "You don't know what House was like before you showed up." Thirteen blurted out.

Taub nodded in agreement. "He certainly wasn't the cuddly teddy bear that he is today."

Avery's eyebrows shot up at Taub's statement. House had given her some insight into his personal history, but this was the first time she had heard anything from his team's point of view.

Thirteen pressed her lips together, regretting ever saying anything. "It doesn't matter now. Let's just say…you've been good for him. Having you in his life means he's much easier to work for."

Avery smiled softly as the three of them stepped off the elevator. "Well then, I suppose there's some value in that, isn't there?"

House was striding out of his office as the three of them walked down the hallway. He had his jacket on, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his helmet in his hand. "I'm out of here. Taub, you finish up the chart. Thirteen, help your hubby find his replacement. The resumes are on the conference room table. And as for you…" He threw the arm that held his helmet around Avery's waist and leaned in for a quick kiss, murmuring in her ear. "You bring that beautiful ass over to my place tonight…along with any boxes you can spare." Out loud he said, "Don't bother trying to call me. I'll be out riding for…a while."

Thirteen turned at House's last statement, her mouth dropping wide open. "He got a new bike?"

Avery sighed nervously. "Yes, yes he did. He brought it over last night. It's beautiful, but…"

Thirteen patted Avery's shoulder. "If it were me, I'd be a nervous wreck, too."

Avery smiled slightly. "It's not that his life was ever in danger. His injuries weren't fatal. It's just that…he was laid up for so long. I never want to see him like that again."

"Obviously House thinks it's worth the risk." Thirteen shrugged.

Avery wasn't so sure, but she didn't say anything. House had been as excited as a kid on Christmas when he brought that bike over to show her. She just wished she was happier for him, but she just couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that washed over her at the thought of House flying through town and country on that thing. Hopefully time would ease that nagging feeling. House was happy with the thing, and Avery supposed that was really all that mattered right now.

She sighed and nodded to Thirteen. "I've got to get going. Got a few things to wrap up, and then it's back to packing for me."

"I understand." Thirteen laughed. "Eric and I might be doing that ourselves before too long. It'd be nice if we could find something somewhere between here and New York."

"You're staying on?" House had mentioned something about Foreman's leaving, but hadn't said anything about Thirteen.

"For now." Thirteen nodded. "As long as…things stay under control, there's no reason for me not to."

Avery nodded in understanding. The young doctor and House did have more in common than either of them realized. Both of them would fight like hell to maintain some sense of normalcy and independence, no matter what was in their path. "That's good. Greg will have a hard enough time finding one doctor to fill Foreman's spot, never mind two."

Thirteen laughed, remembering the crazy games that had constituted the longest job interview she had ever endured. "He might have to conduct normal interviews this time around."

"Ah, no wonder he's having you and Foreman find a few good candidates. Less pain for him to endure." Avery's brown eyes sparkled with amusement. "Well, good luck."

"Thanks. We'll need it." Thirteen turned and disappeared into the conference room, where Foreman was already going through the massive pile of resumes that House had dumped on him.

Avery shook her head as she returned to her office to shut it down for the evening. She knew House was an unconventional man in many ways, but she was still surprised at other hospital employees' reactions to her impending marriage. The House she knew and the House they knew seemed to be two completely different men, even though she had been repeatedly assured that House was a different man because of Avery. He was still as harsh and eccentric as he ever was, but his rough edges seemed a little…softer somehow. Even the clinic nurses commented on this mellower version of the House they had always known and dreaded seeing pass through. While no one could ever say that he was exactly warm and fuzzy, he wasn't nearly as horrible to the patients as he used to be.

While she would like to think she had been a positive influence on House, Avery knew that people didn't change unless they really wanted to. Clearly House had wanted to make those changes, and he had done so in leaps and bounds. Even Avery had noticed the changes in their time together.

She locked the office door behind her, checking her watch. By her best guess, she had a good couple of hours to get more packing done before heading over to House's. It was a good thing he had roped Chase and Wilson into helping him. Avery was sure the man hadn't even started, and if a quick glance around his apartment was any indication, it would easily take the next three weeks just to get everything packed, even with help. She shuddered at the thought, glad she had gotten a head start on her place. The sooner Avery could get her place packed up, the sooner she could concentrate on getting House's place taken care of. Time was slipping away, faster than either of them realized.

Avery allowed herself a slight smile of excitement at the thought. Once she and House got settled into the condo, she could shift her attention to planning the details of their wedding. It was all happening so fast. Before she knew it, she and House would be a married couple, settled into a unconventional version of a conventional life. It sounded like a wonderful plan to Avery.

# # #

House pulled up in front of his apartment, smirking when he recognized Wilson's Volvo already parked in the space in front of him. It figured that he would show up early. With any luck, Wilson had already started some of the packing work.

As he lifted his right leg over the back of the bike, another car pulled in behind him. The headlights dimmed, and Chase climbed out, carrying a six pack of beer and a twelve pack of Coke.

"As I was shopping for beer, I remembered something." Chase commented as he walked up to House. "You don't drink anymore since you started the new pain management."

House's mouth twisted in a smirk as he pulled his cane out from under his backpack. He noted to himself to see about getting another clip installed on this bike for his cane. "Fine, you busted me. Hope you got something Wilson likes."

Chase chuckled, his brain finally registering the bike that was parked in front of the building. "Wow! Nice ride! Is that yours?"

"Uh, yeah." House rolled his eyes, even as his face lit up with pride. "Beauty, isn't it?"

"Matthews was totally okay with this." Chase looked a little skeptical.

House huffed and leaned on his cane, staring at the bike. "She was _mostly_ okay with it. I told her I was going out for a ride tonight and she got that little worry wrinkle right here." He gestured to the spot between his eyebrows.

"I'm sure it's no surprise." Chase commented, still eyeing the bike, a bit of envy surging up in him. "She was worried sick about you when you crashed."

"I know." House spoke quietly, thumping his cane on the asphalt. "I wasn't sure I wanted to ride again myself. That first ride when I test drove this thing was a little…"

"Scary?"

"…Unnerving." House didn't want to admit how real his fear had been when he initially sat on that bike in the parking lot. He had nearly dismounted and left. He was glad now that he had pushed through the fear. Now that he had a chance to take a longer ride on the thing, he was even more in love with it. It was a far superior machine to his Honda, and seemed to fit him a little better. House didn't feel nearly as cramped up on this as he had on the other one.

"Right." Chase again regarded House skeptically. "Well, I suppose we'd better get to work. I see Wilson's already here."

House rolled his eyes. "No worries, as your people say. The man's perpetually early for everything."

Chase chuckled as he followed House into the apartment. The smells of spaghetti and garlic bread hit their noses as soon as they walked in. House immediately dumped his backpack and helmet and limped into the kitchen.

"Wilson, what the hell are you doing?"

Wilson shrugged. "What with the monumental task that has been set before us, I figured we'd do it better on a full stomach."

House rolled his eyes, opening the pot of simmering sauce on the stove. "I guess you could have done worse."

Chase snorted at the exchange between the two men as he placed the beer and Coke in the refrigerator. "You brought beer, too?"

"Yeah…" Wilson's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Did you find it odd that the non-drinker asked us to bring beer?"

House rolled his eyes and placed the lid back on the pot. "What's your point?"

"No point." Wilson responded. "Just seems odd, that's all."

"So you're covered the next time you stop over. It's not like nobody's going to drink it. Besides, you didn't really think we'd get this place packed up in one night, did you?"

"Oh no, you don't." Chase scolded House. "If you want the help, why don't you just ask for it?"

"Hello, have we _met_?" House snapped back, gesturing for Chase to move so he could grab a Coke from the refrigerator.

"Good point." Chase muttered, taking the opportunity to grab a beer for himself. "Wilson, you want one of these?"

"Sure."

Chase grabbed an additional beer and passed it to the oncologist. Even if they didn't get much packing done tonight, it wasn't so bad hanging out with his former boss and his best friend. It was a nice change of pace from his home life. As much as he loved his wife, the pregnancy hormones were making life a little too interesting these days.

Eventually the three men finished their meal, House trying to stretch it out as long as possible before Wilson finally started grabbing boxes and loading them full of books. Chase started wrapping various knick knacks in newspaper and gently loaded them into a box.

House rose, grabbing a box and limping heavily down the hallway to his bedroom with the intention of packing up some of his lesser used items. As he started working his way around, he heard Avery enter, chatting lightly with Wilson and Chase.

"Hey, baby!" House heard Avery call out. "Where are you?"

"Bedroom!" He answered back. "Better tell those two to close their ears, especially the wombat."

Chase snorted and Wilson rolled his eyes as Avery toed off her shoes and headed down the hallway, poking her head into the bedroom. "How's it going?"

"Slowly." House answered grumpily from where he sat on the floor. "Have I ever mentioned how much I hate packing?"

"I don't believe you ever have." Avery bent down to join him, gently rubbing the back of his shoulders.

"Well, I do." House closed his eyes at Avery's touch, feeling some of his bad mood evaporate. "But oddly enough, I feel better about it now."

"That's good." Avery laughed. "Are you going in any particular order in here?"

"Not really." House shrugged and continued packing up the contents of his dresser.

Avery went out to the living room to get another box, returning with it and some newspaper to wrap up some of the knick knacks that decorated the bedroom.

"There's a few things under the bed, too." House tossed out over his shoulder.

"You need me to get them?"

"Yeah." House answered softly, not wanting to admit that he had already attempted to get under there. His pain was much better these days, but he still had physical limitations, and laying flat on his stomach in a vain attempt to get to whatever was under his bed was one of them.

"No problem." Avery decided not to press the matter. She easily slid under his bed, finding a few items among the dust monsters that had collected under there. "Baby, when was the last time you cleaned out under here?"

"Not exactly my highest priority." House rolled his eyes at Avery's fussing. He was willing to bet money that there were no dust bunnies under Avery's bed, or anywhere else, for that matter.

"What's this?" Avery had pulled out a wooden lockbox and was examining it curiously.

House froze for a moment. He had forgotten the damn thing was under there, and he tried to remember the last time he had needed it. It was before the shooting and the change in pain management, he knew that much.

He pushed himself off the floor and dug his keys out of his jeans pocket, limping over to the bed where Avery sat, the wooden lockbox on her lap.

"Hey, House?" Wilson poked his head inside the room, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw the object in Avery's lap. "Never mind, I'll come back."

House nodded calmly as he took the lockbox from Avery and opened it, revealing a small glass bottle, tubing, syringes, and hypodermic needles. Avery's eyes went wide as she surveyed the contents.

House could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to think of the best way to explain the box. He took a deep breath, smoothing his hands over the open lid.

"There were times, when I was still on the Vicodin, that it wasn't enough." He started. "When I couldn't take the pain anymore, I'd shoot up with morphine."

"I had no idea." Avery whispered, wrapping her arms around House and setting her head on his shoulder.

"No one did, except for Wilson. He's the one who wrote my prescription." House closed the box and locked it, staring down at it while he held it on his lap. "I haven't needed it in a very long time. Matter of fact, I kind of forgot it was there."

"That's not a bad thing." Avery spoke quietly.

"Not a bad thing at all." House answered, kissing the top of her head. "Things are a hell of a lot better now, and I don't just mean the pain."

"So what are you going to do with it now?" Avery smiled a little at House's words.

House twisted his mouth in thought. "Wilson!"

Wilson appeared in the doorway. "You bellowed?"

"Very funny." House scowled as he held out the lockbox. "Get rid of this damn thing."

A slow smile crept across Wilson's face. "I'd be happy to…If you're sure you won't need it."

"I'm _very _sure."

"Then consider it gone." Wilson tucked it under his arm and took it back down the hallway with him, once again leaving House and Avery alone in the room.

To House, it was another piece of his dark past he was happy to leave behind him. He closed his eyes as he remembered all those nights when the pain was too much to bear, when the liquid in that syringe was his only relief. It didn't take away the pain, necessarily, but it knocked him out enough so that it bothered him _less_.

He couldn't believe he had settled for that for so long. Life had gotten much better when he came out of the Vicodin and morphine-induced haze that he didn't even realize he was living in. He wrapped his arms around the woman that sat next to him, relieved that she hadn't flipped out or gotten upset over her find and his revelation.

"Are you okay?" Avery asked him gently.

"Yeah." House was surprised at the sound of his choked voice and his suddenly blurred vision. "Just…you know. Glad, I guess."

"About what?"

"That you didn't flip out over the drugs…that I _could_ get rid of them…all of it."

Avery gently placed a hand on House's rough cheek and kissed him. "You suffered unimaginable pain for a long time. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?"

House simply stared at her, placing his hand over hers on his cheek. "I'm not desperate anymore." He wrapped a hand around the back of Avery's neck and pulled her in for a long, sweet, gentle kiss. Finally he broke away, touching his forehead to hers. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"That sounds familiar." Avery laughed gently.

House's blue eyes sparkled teasingly. "Have I told you that there's no one else above you?"

Avery giggled harder. "Now you're just being silly."

House's expression turned somber. "I mean every word."

"I know you do, baby." Avery gently kissed him again. "And I love you, too."

"Good." House released her with a small smile. "Think those two chuckleheads are done packing up my living room yet?"

"Hard telling. They were making pretty good progress when I came through."

Just then Chase poked his head into the bedroom. "Hey, I've got to head home. Allie will go nuts if I'm gone too long."

"Well, we don't want that." Avery spoke up before House could open his mouth and share whatever smartass comment he had come up with. "Thanks for your help, and congratulations on your…new addition."

"Thanks." Chase looked nervous again. "Still can't believe we're having twins."

Avery rose from the bed to give Chase a gentle hug. "It'll be fine, and you'll be a terrific father. Take care."

House casually waved, admiring Avery's easy way with Chase. The woman definitely had people skills, and he sort of wished he had a little of her talent. He was rough where she was gentle, and he supposed that was part of what made them work, or something.

He pushed himself off the bed, following Avery out to the living room, startled at the boxes that had piled up while he was poking around in his bedroom. "Damn, that's all my stuff?"

"And that's not even the half of it." Wilson commented. "That's just your books. You planning on calling in a specialist to deal with the instruments?"

"_Yes_." House replied with emphasis. His guitars and piano were nearly as precious to him as Avery and his bike, and he was going to take no chances with them. "I've already got a line on a couple of people."

"Good." Wilson nodded in agreement as he prepared to leave. "I should get home, too. Kara's expecting me."

House bit back whatever sarcastic comment popped into his head. He actually kind of liked Kara. She was a little tough, a bit like Amber had been, and she struck him as an independent kind of woman. Not only did it mean she wouldn't cling to Wilson, but he might actually be able to maintain both his friendship with House and his relationship with Kara as a result. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get your ass home. Same time tomorrow?"

Wilson sighed and rolled his eyes. "Might as well. Now that we've started, it seems kind of foolish to leave it."

"See you around, Wilson."

"Good night, House." Wilson nodded to Avery. "And to you, Matthews."

"Good night, Wilson." Avery smiled a little as the door closed behind Wilson.

"About time." House huffed as he took Avery in his arms. "I thought they'd never leave."

"You say that like you have something in mind." Avery curled her arms around House's neck.

"Don't I always?" House smirked down at her.

Avery couldn't help but laugh at him. She couldn't believe how long this fire between them still burned. She thought for sure it would die down at some point, but that didn't seem to be the case. Not that she objected, of course. Quite the contrary. Avery was all for feeding that fire for a long time to come.

# # #

**Kind of a long one, but read and review anyway. :)**


	63. The Times They Are AChangin'

**Finally made it back to this one. Once again, a thousand pardons for the delay, and as usual, I don't own anything House-related.**

# # #

House bent down and captured Avery's lips in a soft kiss, deepening as he pushed his tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers. She responded in kind, moving her hands up his neck to run through his hair as he slipped his hands up the back of her t-shirt, feeling the smooth skin underneath.

He emitted a low growl as he guided Avery toward the couch, easing her down and leaving a trail of kisses down her neck as he explored under her shirt. "Get rid of this thing, woman."

Avery laughed softly and sat up, taking hold of the hem of House's t-shirt. "You first."

House smirked, pulling away just long enough to allow Avery to pull the shirt over his head and toss it aside. She raked her fingers through the rough hair on his chest, enjoying the texture as House leaned in to move under her shirt and unhook her bra.

Avery wrapped her arms around him as House pushed her t-shirt up and over her head, casting it aside to join his. He cupped his hands over the soft flesh of her breasts, brushing his thumbs over the nipples. She let out a soft gasp, arching her back towards his touch and tilting her head back, pulling him in closer.

He moaned softly at the feel of Avery's fingernails lightly running up the length of his back, her fingers curling in his hair as he continued his ministrations, leaving a series of light kisses all over her chest before shifting downward to leave a moist trail down her stomach.

"Mmm…you okay down there?" Avery's voice was tinged with concern, even as she stroked the top of House's head, her desire for him increasing with every touch of his lips on her skin.

House looked up briefly, a half smile on his face as he caressed her thigh with one hand. "Hush, woman. Kind of busy down here."

A girlish giggle escaped Avery as House moved to unfasten her jeans, tugging them off her body as Avery lifted herself just enough for him to remove them. His hands smoothed over the soft skin of her thighs, and he shifted to bend down over her, pressing lips and tongue up the inside until he reached her soft center.

Avery moaned out softly as she pushed back the coffee table and spread herself more fully before House. House took full advantage, lightly rubbing her with a finger before spreading the folds of skin with his fingers and flicking his tongue delicately over her.

The move sent waves of pleasure through Avery, and she arched toward him, her fingers curling in his hair as he slipped two fingers inside her, pumping as he quickened his tongue, sending her over the edge with a soft cry, her fingers taking hold of his hair as she did so.

House left a brief kiss just over the hair that surrounded her core, and Avery could hear him chuckle as he made his way back up her body and leaned over her to kiss her on the lips.

"Something funny, baby?" Avery asked gently as she caressed the back of House's head and neck.

"Thought you were going to take out what was left of my hair." House answered, wincing slightly as he pushed himself to his feet and moved to half-kneel on the couch.

"Now, would I do that?" Avery pretended to look hurt as she stroked House's cheek.

"Not _deliberately_." House murmured as he went in for another long kiss. "Keep that up and I'll be bald before the wedding. It'll totally ruin the pictures."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Avery laughed as she moved to start undoing House's belt and jeans. She slipped his jeans and boxers off his body and guided him to lay down on the couch.

They shifted so that House lay on his back, one foot touching the floor and the other stretched out along the length of the couch. Avery hovered over him, taking his hardening shaft in one hand and stroking him, watching House's reactions as she rolled her tongue over the tip, dipping down to take it fully in her mouth.

House groaned and roughly stroked the top of her head as he got closer, and Avery broke away just as he was about to go over. She moved up his body, leaning in for a brief kiss as she settled on top of him, sliding him inside her and stroking in steady rhythm as House reached up to take her breasts in his hands, stroking the nipples with his thumbs.

Avery moved faster, bringing House right up to the edge again, and House slid his hands down to her lower back, holding on to her as he found his release, arching upward with a loud groan and relaxing with a heavy sigh.

He pulled her down to lay on his chest, wrapping his arms around Avery and kissing the top of her head. "This never gets old, does it?"

"Sure doesn't, baby." Avery laughed softly as she kissed House's chest, taking in his signature spicy scent.

They lay quietly for a long moment, and House let his thoughts wander as he absentmindedly caressed the woman that lay across his chest. He was surprised at the way the fire still burned between them. House had never expected things to last between he and Avery. In a lot of ways, he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, still waiting for evidence that this wasn't real.

The boxes that surrounded them as they lounged on the leather couch proved otherwise. This move was becoming increasingly real, and House felt a brief flash of fear course through him at the idea.

House had always been wary of change. Between all his moving around as a child, to the infarction and the fallout that had resulted, he had come to the conclusion that change never brought anything good.

His time in Mayfield had shifted that view somewhat, and his time with Avery had shifted it even further. Now he was a man in transition, and while it was thrilling and exciting, it was scary, too.

He heard Avery's breathing even out as she fell asleep on his chest. House reached up for the blanket that was tossed along the back of the couch, pulling it over the two of them. It wouldn't hurt to lay here just a little while longer, to let Avery sleep undisturbed. Besides, House was enjoying the feel of her sweet weight laying on him. If for some odd reason this wasn't real, it was a delusion he wasn't willing to let go of just yet.

He wrapped one arm around Avery and stroked her soft brown hair with the other, lightly kissing the top of her head. God, he loved this woman with a fierceness he hadn't felt since Stacy, and he wasn't even sure he felt this strongly about her way back then.

She shifted and sighed softly, snuggling even closer to him, if it were possible. House was reasonably sure things couldn't be better than they were right now, and the brief flash of fear left him as quickly as it had appeared. He closed his eyes with a slight smile on his face, letting the warmth of the blanket and Avery's body envelop him. House would be sore when he woke up, but he didn't care right now. This felt too good to let go, and House had no intention of letting go.

# # #

House awakened the next morning in his bed, not entirely sure how he managed to get there. He assumed that he and Avery had awakened at some point during the night, and she had encouraged him to come back here. It was more comfortable than the couch, that was for sure, but he missed Avery laying across him.

He pushed himself out of bed and limped to the bathroom, going through his usual morning routine before making his way to the kitchen, where Avery and his coffee awaited him.

"What are you still doing here?" House asked as he kissed her cheek and took his mug of coffee.

"It's raining." Avery answered. "I thought you'd want a ride to work."

"Hmm…won't that make you late?"

Avery shrugged. "I don't have anything too critical waiting for me. I can afford to go in a little later."

"In that case…" House grinned teasingly as he pulled Avery in close and kissed her neck. "What do you say to delaying things a little longer?"

Avery laughed and wrapped her arms around House's waist. "Not today, baby. A little late is one thing. A lot late will definitely raise Cuddy's eyebrows."

House rolled his eyes. "I can handle Cuddy. I'll just bat my eyelashes and…compliment her significant assets while you hightail it to your office. It's a brilliant plan, don't you think?"

"It is." Avery agreed. "But it's not going to happen today."

"Damn." House grumbled as he released Avery. He drained his coffee mug and limped heavily out to the living room to shove his feet into shoes and find his jacket and backpack. "Fine, have it your way."

They made their way to the car, engaging in idle chat during their ride. House had to admit, he was kind of enjoying this. Maybe he could get his ass in gear a little earlier to ride with Avery through the winter.

"So I was thinking…" Avery was chatting as she drove. "If you don't have a case going, we could go check out that bed and breakfast this weekend."

House grinned at the idea. "Great plan. I'd like to see where we're spending our wedding night."

"Good to know you've got your priorities straight." Avery laughed as she pulled into her parking space. "I want to meet with their wedding planner so we can get all the details worked out, too."

House's heart beat a little faster at Avery's words. "Jesus, this thing's really happening, isn't it?"

Avery wrinkled her brow in concern. "Are you okay with that?"

"Well, yeah." House squeezed Avery's shoulder as they walked into the hospital, much to the amusement of the crew working the main reception desk. "It's just…a lot to take in, what with the move and everything."

"Relax, baby." Avery patted House's hand as they crossed the lobby to the elevators. "It'll all work out. You'll see."

House nodded as he followed Avery onto the elevator. Of course it would all work out. Avery hadn't failed him yet as far as that was concerned. "I believe you."

A wide smile lit up Avery's soft features. "Good. I'd hate to think I was leading you the wrong way."

"You haven't yet." House wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple. "Guess I'll keep right on following you."

They stepped off the elevator, lightly squeezing each other's fingers as they separated at Avery's office. "See you later, babe. Love you."

"Love you, too." Avery released House's fingers and let herself into her office, marveling at how casually House spoke the words now. She knew those words and feelings were a long time in coming for him, and now that he had openly expressed them, there was no going back for him.

This man, for all his rough-and-tumble look and attitude, had a soft core that had captured her heart. He had exposed himself to her not just physically, but emotionally as well, and Avery knew it was her duty to protect that trust he had so carefully placed in her hands.

She would protect that with her life, she knew that. Avery had never felt so strongly for anyone, not even Bryan, the man she had supposedly loved with all her heart. Obviously that wasn't the case, and she was glad, despite everything, that she had come to Princeton in the first place.

Once she settled into her office, she pulled out the wedding folder from her bottom desk drawer. She and Cameron had a dress fitting later that day, and suddenly she was tingling with excitement. Yes, this was all really happening, and sooner than Avery had thought possible. There was still so much to do in so little time, but Avery was sure it would all come together. Even if it didn't come off perfectly, it would still be a day to remember, and as long as she, House, and an officiator were there, the rest wouldn't really matter anyway.

# # #

House pushed through the door of his office, dropping his backpack and hanging up his coat. Almost immediately, Foreman came from the conference room with a few resumes in his hand. "We narrowed it down to about ten people."

House pulled his glasses out of his shirt pocket and shoved them on his face before taking the stack from Foreman. He scanned through them, picking out four and handing the rest back to Foreman. "Trash these. I'll call these four and set up interviews." He glanced at Foreman over his glasses. "I want you in on this part, too."

Foreman nodded in understanding. "Tell me when and I'll be there."

He returned to the conference room, and House felt a stab of something like sadness at the idea of losing his longest-term duckling. Everything was changing now, and House wasn't sure how to handle it.

He huffed in irritation and plopped down in his desk chair to make the phone calls. This was more of the administrative crap he hated about his job, but it needed to be done if he was going to get Foreman replaced before the neurologist left the place. He picked up the phone and made the first call.

"Anesthesiology Associates, how may I direct your call?"

"Doctor Nicole Schaffer, please?"

"One moment." There was a brief click as the call was transferred, the Musak playing as House waited for the doctor in question to pick up. "Doctor Schaffer speaking."

"Doctor Gregory House at Princeton-Plainsboro." House replied as he looked over her resume. On the surface, she had impressive credentials, and it piqued his interest. "I've got your resume in my hand, and wanted to schedule an interview."

Schaffer thought her heart would leap out of her chest. Working for House was an opportunity of a lifetime, and she could barely believe that she was having a phone conversation with the legend himself. "Of course." She cursed herself for the shakiness in her voice. "When shall I come in?"

House smiled a little. The woman was obviously nervous and excited, though she hid it well. "How about Thursday at 3:00?"

"Thursday at 3. Got it." Schaffer scribbled herself a note and stuck it to her computer monitor. "Thank you so much." She cut herself off before her nervous habit of babbling took over.

"You bet. See you then." The line died as House hung up, and Schaffer allowed herself a quiet squeal of excitement, jumping up and down a couple of times in her cubicle before heading back out to return to her work. She couldn't wait to get together with her girlfriend later and tell her the news. This could change everything for them, and Schaffer couldn't wait for the opportunity.

# # #

House smirked as he placed the receiver in the cradle. He got the feeling that this would be one very interesting interview. He made the other phone calls, but he had a sneaking suspicion that he had already chosen his next fellow before he had even interviewed them.

He pushed himself out of his desk chair and limped into the conference room, where Foreman and Thirteen were looking over case files. "Okay, now where's the short man?"

"He and his wife had some sort of appointment." Thirteen answered. "Something with the Department of Children and Families."

House looked puzzled. "Huh. Interesting." He glanced over at Foreman. "I set up the interviews. First one is Thursday at 3. I noticed she was the first one in the pile."

"Schaffer?"

"That would be the one." House glanced over his glasses. "She seemed…interesting."

Foreman looked vaguely horrified. "Oh, no you don't. I already know where this is going."

"What?" House was all mock innocence. "You act as if I'm going to dig up all kinds of dirt and throw it in her face during the interview. Would I do that?"

Thirteen snorted. "Well…not _during_ the interview. Maybe after you hire her."

"Who said I was going to hire her?" House answered sharply as he turned to leave the conference room. "All I'm doing is interviewing her…and three other candidates."

"Right." Foreman rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. "And why do you need me involved?"

"To keep me in check, bro." House threw Foreman an exasperated look. "You can't expect me to do this myself. Last time I did it turned into Road Rules/Real World Challenge. Can't have that again. Cuddy will have my head."

Foreman snorted and shook his head as House left. Thirteen let out the snicker she had been suppressing. "Research is going to seem pretty boring after all this."

"It's a boring I can live with." Foreman replied, returning to the case file in front of him. He glanced over at Thirteen, noticing her shaking hands. "You okay over there?"

"Fine." Thirteen answered a little sharper than she had intended as she carefully set down her coffee cup.

Foreman's eyebrow arched in concern. "You know…House could always hire two fellows instead of one."

"And leave Taub alone with the rookies? No thank you." Thirteen smiled a little at the idea. "Between Taub and House, they'd never survive."

"Good point." Foreman reached across the table to cover Thirteen's hand with his own. "If you ever decide otherwise…"

"I'll keep you posted." Thirteen flashed Foreman a quick smile. "Quit worrying so much. I'm fine, really. Now let's try to find a decent case to keep us out of the clinic."

Taub came in about half an hour later, tossing his coat on the back of a chair. Foreman glanced up as Taub poured himself a cup of coffee. "I think House wants to see you."

Taub sighed slightly and nodded. He had been trying to keep things under wraps until he had something concrete, but he should have known better than to try and keep anything from House.

He pushed through the door that separated the office from the conference room, finding House at his desk. The older doctor was alternating between checking his e-mail and playing Minesweeper, turning when he heard Taub enter.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Mysteriously Disappearing Runt himself." House commented. He leaned forward on his desk and took off his glasses. "So…something going on I should know about? Incidentally, the answer to that would be _yes_."

Taub's face flickered with barely perceptible emotion as he gathered himself. "I didn't want to say anything until all the arrangements were made."

"Arrangements?"

Taub took a deep breath before continuing. "Rachel and I have applied to be foster parents. We've been going through the interview process for about three months now, and it looks like we're going to take on our first child within the next month."

House's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That's…interesting. Didn't think you two wanted kids."

"Rachel didn't back when we first got married." Taub explained. "We're still not sure about having our own, but…there's a lot of kids out there that just need a better place, you know? Rachel and I can provide that. Maybe we'll even adopt one day."

House nodded. "If you need time off when the kid lands…talk to Cuddy. She'll help you work it out."

Taub exhaled in barely noticeable relief. He had expected House to tear him to shreds for not only keeping the information from him, but for the fostering itself. He noticed that House seemed deep in thought. "Anything else?"

House shook his head and waved the plastic surgeon away. "Nope, we're good. Good luck."

"Thanks…" Taub was thoroughly confused by House's reaction as he returned to the conference room. For now he was glad House hadn't handed his ass to him, and that was good enough.

House frowned thoughtfully before picking up his office phone and dialing Avery.

"Doctor Matthews speaking."

"Hey, babe." House wasn't sure how to express what was on his mind. "How's it going?"

"Fine." Avery was instantly suspicious. "What's on your mind?"

"Not much, just thinking." House palmed his red and gray ball as he spoke. "What do you think about applying to be foster parents?"

Avery leaned back in her office chair, surprised that House was bringing up the subject of children again. "I don't know. It has…possibilities, I suppose. Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure." House felt a bit of hope rise up in him. Avery hadn't shut him down outright. "See you tonight."

"Bye." Avery hung up, shaking her head. She wondered what had brought this on again. Obviously something had sparked it, but she couldn't say what. She supposed she would find out later. Right now, she and Cameron had a date with a couple of dresses.

# # #

**All yours now. Don't take as long to review as I did to update. Feedback is love.**


	64. Wedding Dress

**Told you I wasn't going to let this slide! :D As usual, don't own the House folks, just the O/Cs.**

# # #

Avery was sitting in the bridal salon, awaiting Cameron's arrival so that they could both try on their dresses. Finally the younger woman arrived, still looking a bit queasy as she entered.

"Everything okay?" Avery wrinkled her brow in concern as she rose to give Cameron a quick hug.

"Fine." Cameron answered. "Lunch just didn't settle so well. The babies are _not_ happy right now." She released Avery and pressed her hands together in excitement. "So…let's see this dress."

Avery approached the attendant, and she soon brought out the dress for Avery to try on. She went into the changing room, equal parts nervous and excited. Even though she had already done this before, this time was different. She didn't feel the vague uneasiness that had pervaded her previous wedding plans with Bryan.

She zipped up the dress and padded out to the salon, stepping up on the raised area just outside the dressing room. Cameron gasped at the sight. "You're gorgeous! House is going to pass out when he sees you."

Avery allowed a small smile to morph into a wider one as she turned around in front of the mirror. "I hope not. I'd like him to stay upright for the ceremony, at the very least."

Cameron laughed. "Are you going to the bed and breakfast I showed you?"

"I think so." Avery answered as the attendant and the tailor worked over her, making their final plans for alterations. "We're going to go out there this weekend. Greg wants to see where we're spending the wedding night."

"Figures." Cameron laughed again as Avery stepped down. "The man definitely has his own priorities."

Avery paused just before she returned to the dressing room. "Bring me my purse, would you?"

Cameron did as Avery asked, and Avery dug her phone out of the side pocket. "I need you to take a picture. I want to send it to my mom."

Cameron's eyes lit up. "Of course. I'd love to."

Avery returned to the raised area, and Cameron took several pictures from different angles. Avery quickly stepped down and sent the pictures, eagerly awaiting what she suspected would be a very quick response.

She no sooner got dressed than her phone started chiming. "Matthews."

"Darling, it's beautiful." Catherine's lilting voice carried into Avery's ear. "Don't change a thing."

Avery laughed as she left the dressing room, handing off the dress to the attendant. "Don't worry. They're just making a few alterations. I'm so glad you like it."

"I like it much better than the one you chose when you were marrying that…well, never mind." Catherine couldn't even bring herself to call Bryan by his proper name. The man was a monster as far as she was concerned. Any man who would brutally attack her daughter and the man she loved was the lowest of the low in her mind.

Avery sat down in the waiting area while Cameron tried on her dress. "It's okay, Mom. That was then, this is now, and…this time's different."

"I know, and your father and I couldn't be happier for you." Catherine answered. "Have you got everything in order?"

"I should have everything finalized this weekend. Greg and I are going to check out the bed and breakfast and make all the arrangements."

"Good, good." Catherine's voice held a note of approval. "Is there some reason you decided to move up the wedding, and you're just not telling me?"

Avery laughed gently. "No, Mom. Not for the reasons you think."

"Hmm. Too bad, darling." Catherine sounded a bit sad.

"Come on, now, Mom. Alice and Devin are about to bless you with a grandchild. Isn't that enough?"

Catherine laughed in response. "Never enough as far as I'm concerned."

Avery rolled her eyes, and Cameron couldn't help but smile to herself at the distinctly House-like move. "Well…Greg did mention something about applying to become foster parents. I don't know where that came from."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Catherine replied. "Think of all the children you could help."

"I know, I know." Avery answered with a sigh. "I told him I'd think about it. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing. I'm just getting kind of old to think about having children myself."

"Of course, dear. Fostering is worth thinking about."

Avery looked up to see Cameron in her bridesmaid dress. "I've got to go. I'll give you the details as soon as I have them. Love you."

"I love you too, darling. Take care."

Avery closed her phone and strode over to where Cameron stood, the tailor and the attendant both fussing over her and her rapidly expanding belly. "I wish I'd known I would be pregnant when I said I'd be in your wedding. It would have made this so much easier."

"You look beautiful." Avery reassured her. Cameron did look lovely in the deep ruby-toned satin gown, her belly protruding ever so slightly.

Cameron wrinkled her nose as she looked in the mirror. "You really think so? I'm not sure this thing's going to fit in December."

"Don't worry, darling." The tailor assured her. "We can make this work."

Cameron looked unconvinced, so Avery took a different tack. "The other bridesmaid is going to be pregnant, too."

"Really?" Cameron looked baffled. "Who's your other bridesmaid?"

"My sister-in-law. She's due just before you are, I think."

Cameron couldn't help but giggle a little. "We're going to make a fine pair, waddling up that aisle."

"It'll be fine." Avery giggled herself. "I'm pretty sure it's a short aisle, anyway."

The attendant helped Cameron down, and the young doctor returned to the dressing room, leaving Avery to reflect on their afternoon.

It had been fun, and it occurred to Avery just how much she missed having girlfriends. House was fine company, to be sure, but his schedule was erratic, and he was a _guy_. Sometimes a woman just had to talk to other women about…women things.

Avery decided that once the move and the wedding were behind her, she would get out a little more. It would be good for her, and for their marriage.

Marriage. This thing was becoming more real every day, and Avery couldn't help but smile to herself as Cameron emerged from the dressing room.

Cameron regarded her quizzically. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing." Avery answered. "Just thinking. I still can't quite believe this is all happening."

"Well, believe it." Cameron replied as she gave Avery a quick hug. "It's happening, and it'll happen faster than you think."

Avery returned the hug. "Thanks for coming with me today."

"My pleasure." Cameron smiled warmly. "Us women have to stick together, right?"

"Right." Avery climbed into her car and returned to the hospital. Girlfriends were definitely the one thing missing from her life, and Cameron was right. They had to stick together.

# # #

House pushed himself out of his desk chair after a morning spent rejecting several case files presented by his team. He sent his team to cover his clinic hours and his own and made his way to Wilson's office, stopping by Avery's along the way.

It was locked, and House was curious as to why. Normally Avery would be back from lunch by now, and he wondered what else could be going on. He filed the puzzle away for later and continued on to Wilson's office, casually pushing open the door.

Wilson merely arched an eyebrow when House entered, noting his puzzled expression. "Something going on?"

"Avery's not in her office." House pondered. "Normally she's back from lunch by now."

"Maybe she's just taking a late lunch." Wilson answered as he tidied up his desk. "What's the big deal?"

"It's not a big deal. I'm just curious." House thumped his cane on the carpeted floor as he waited for Wilson. "Come on, already. No one's going to mess with your desk while you're gone."

"So I like to keep things somewhat organized. Sue me." Wilson shot back as he grabbed his lab coat and followed House to the elevator.

The elevator opened to reveal Avery. Her face lit in a wide smile when she saw the two men. "Hey, baby. Wilson."

House captured Avery's fingers in a light squeeze as she passed by, and Wilson acknowledged her with a nod. "Hey, yourself. Where did you disappear to?"

Avery squeezed back with a conspiratorial smile. "I _might_ have had a dress fitting with Cameron."

House's eyes lit up at the thought. "Any pictures?"

"Not for you." Avery pressed up on tiptoe to place a quick kiss on House's lips. "You know it's bad luck, and heaven knows we don't need any more of that."

Avery made a good point, even as House rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll just have to let my imagination run wild."

"Can it run wild while we have lunch?" Wilson teased the loving couple. "I only have so much time, you know."

House released Avery's fingers and stepped on the elevator behind Wilson. He pointed to Avery with his cane. "This isn't over, you know."

"I know." Avery laughed softly. "See you later."

The doors closed, and House leaned against the back of the elevator, letting visions of Avery in her wedding dress drift through his mind. As pleasant as those images were, he liked the vision of Avery _out_ of her wedding dress much better.

"So, are you going to need more packing help this weekend?" Wilson's voice broke into his thoughts.

"If all goes well, we're not going to be around." House shook off his thoughts and replied. "Avery wants to drag me to that bed and breakfast where she plans on having the wedding."

"Sounds like fun." Wilson commented.

House shrugged, his mouth twitching in a slight grin despite his best efforts to suppress it. "I guess."

Wilson caught the subtle change in House's expression and broke into a chuckle, shaking his head. "It's okay for you to get excited over this stuff, you know. Nobody's going to call your manhood into question."

"That's not it." House rolled his eyes.

"Then what is it?"

House took a deep breath before answering. "I don't want to get too excited about anything. It could still all go to hell."

"Seems pretty unlikely at this point."

"Unlikely means there still a chance something can happen." House looked a little doubtful as he thumped his cane on the floor of the elevator.

Wilson pressed his lips together and stuck his hands in his pants pockets. "I know you're not used to good things happening to you." He glanced over at the older doctor. "Maybe you should start getting used to it."

House nodded briefly as he looked at the floor. "I guess I can't get used to the idea that she's still with me." A hint of a smile twitched at his lips. "It _is _pretty cool, all this wedding crap."

Wilson chuckled as they exited the elevator and strode toward the cafeteria. "I'm getting kind of excited on your behalf."

House rolled his eyes at that. "You're such a girl."

"Why? Because I'm _happy _for you?" Wilson countered. "If that makes me a girl, so be it."

"As long as you plan me a kick-ass bachelor party, you can be as girly as you want." House responded as he took the Reuben and placed it on his tray.

Wilson smirked to himself at the thought. He had already started kicking around a few ideas with Chase. While there was no way they would be able to top Chase's bachelor party, Wilson was reasonably sure he and Chase could come pretty damn close. It was just the sort of thing he thought House would appreciate.

# # #

After an uneventful day, House climbed on the bike and rode home, dreading the packing that still awaited him. Wilson had told him that he would be back over, but with all the stuff House had accumulated, he knew he would have to have Wilson over for more than a few nights to get everything packed up.

Wilson was already there when he arrived, and he thought he heard voices behind his door. He opened the door to find Kara there with Wilson, laughing and chatting as they put together a quick meal.

"Hey, hey." House snarked. "Last I checked, my kitchen wasn't public property."

The couple turned at the sound of House's voice, and Wilson spoke first. "I figured we could use another set of hands, and Kara happened to be free tonight."

House took a whiff of whatever was cooking, finally nodding his approval as he reached into the refrigerator for a Coke. "Fine. The girl can stay. Avery's coming over later anyway, I think."

Kara smiled briefly, amused at House's reaction. For all his gruffness, he was a good friend to Wilson, and the more time she spent around House, the more she was starting to like him. "That's very kind of you. Thanks."

House shrugged as he took a drink of his Coke. "Need someone to do up all these dishes anyway."

Wilson rolled his eyes as Kara snorted, and the three of them continued to engage in idle chat as Wilson finished cooking. They settled into the living room, eating in relative silence.

House was the first to break the silence. "Did you know Taub and his wife applied to be foster parents?"

"No kidding?" Wilson's eyebrows shot up. "How did you find out…never mind, that doesn't matter. I thought his wife didn't want kids."

"She didn't." House shrugged. "I think Taub does, but I also think there's something in him that wants to save the world one kid at a time. The foster thing was his idea."

"There's a reason you're telling me this." Wilson asserted.

House shrugged. "I might have mentioned something about it to Avery."

Kara's face lit in a wide smile. "Avery mentioned something about it in the clinic today. I think it's a great idea."

House turned to Kara with a frown. "When was she in the clinic?"

"Right after she came back from lunch. She showed me pictures of the wedding dress, which is absolutely _stunning_, by the way." Kara's eyes sparkled teasingly. "You are going to _die_ when you see it."

"Anyway." House rolled his eyes. He wanted to see this dress for himself, superstition be damned. "How did the foster thing come up?"

"I don't remember, but…she didn't seem opposed to the idea." Kara studied House's face for a reaction.

House nodded. "Good to know."

He fell back into thoughtful silence, and Wilson couldn't help but speculate what was going through his friend's mind. Wilson knew House's childhood had been less than ideal, though House had never shared details. Obviously Taub wasn't the only one who wanted to save a few kids from the same fate.

They finished their meal and returned to the task of packing, Wilson and House each taking on a section of the apartment while Kara cleaned up the kitchen. The two men worked in relative silence, the music from House's I-Pod the only sound in the room.

House's curiosity finally got the better of him, and he paused over the box he was working on. "So…I don't see a ring on Kara's finger. You slowing down in your old age or what?"

Wilson threw House a baffled look before breaking into a grin. "I know this sounds crazy, but honestly…I'm just enjoying being with her. I guess I am slowing down a little."

"Nothing wrong with that." House agreed. "Although…maybe you should think about keeping her around."

Wilson's eyebrows shot up at that statement. "Are you saying…you…_like_ her?"

"Sure." House answered casually. "She's kind of…Amber 2.0, if you will."

Wilson nodded, glancing around the room. "I did kind of get her…something. Thinking about giving it to her for Christmas."

House grinned slightly. "Something big or something little that means something big?"

"Can't tell you." Wilson grinned back, shaking his head. "You'll just have to wait and see…if we still do our Christmas Eve thing."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." House answered. "Christmas just isn't Christmas without the resident Jew and Chinese food."

Wilson snorted and returned to his packing, and Kara soon joined them. House couldn't help but observe their interactions. They were a good pair, House decided as he witnessed the obvious affection that passed between them. If Wilson was going to make someone the fourth Mrs. Wilson, Kara should be the one. She was Amber without the bitchiness, and it was clear how good she was for Wilson.

The apartment door opened not much later, revealing Avery. She made a beeline for House, dropping a kiss on his forehead. "Still at it?"

"Of course." House huffed in mild irritation. "Feel free to join us."

Avery immediately jumped in, and by the end of the night, House's apartment was much closer to being packed. House leaned back on his palms, his long legs stretched out in front of him. "Good enough, kids."

Wilson and Kara both nodded in agreement. "So, are we calling it for the week?"

"I think so." House nodded, pushing himself to his feet. "Thanks for all the help."

"No problem." Wilson was startled by House's words. "Any time you need me…you know, I'm there."

House twisted his mouth, easing his weight off his right leg. "I know. See you around."

Avery gave them both a quick hug, and they both nodded to House as they left. Avery closed the door with a sigh. "It's looking better, baby."

"Sure is." House agreed as he limped to the kitchen for another Coke, returning to plop himself on the couch. Avery soon joined him, curling up on the couch and placing her head on his shoulder. "So…you said we'd talk about this fostering thing."

Avery sighed a little as she wrapped an arm around House's waist. "I'm just wondering what got you thinking about that."

"It's all Taub's fault." House asserted half-jokingly. "He and his wife applied to be foster parents and finally got approved."

"Interesting." Avery commented. "What makes you want to do it?"

House paused for a long moment before answering. "Well, you know. I didn't have such a great childhood. Maybe…maybe this a good chance to give some other kid a better shot, let them see that not all adults are assholes."

Avery felt a lump rise in her throat at House's words. "You know…it _is_ a three-bedroom condo. I'm sure we could turn one of the bedrooms into a child's room."

House smiled a little to himself. "I think I'd like that." He dropped a kiss on top of Avery's head. "Things might be a little…different than we planned if we decide to do this."

"Fine by me, baby." Avery answered. "The more I think about it…the better I like the idea. We could do a lot of good this way."

"That's kind of what I was thinking." House murmured as he pulled Avery closer. "So…maybe I'll talk to Taub a little bit tomorrow, get things rolling."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Avery answered sleepily, enjoying the feel of House's arm wrapped around her. "You know, just when I didn't think I could love you any more…you find a way to make it happen."

"Well, that's not the only reason I'm doing this." House chuckled. "Sure is a nice bonus, though."

Avery laughed softly in return. "Silly man."

House fell deep into thought as Avery fell asleep against him. He was surprised that she had agreed to the idea so easily. Maybe her chat with Kara had something to do with it.

He didn't know, but surprisingly enough, he was okay with not knowing. He and Avery were on the same page, and he supposed that was all that really mattered. It made House feel even more strongly about her that he thought was possible, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement about moving forward on yet another adventure with her.

# # #

**Do your thing, folks. Read and review. :)**


	65. Getaway

**Finally made it back over to this one. As usual, Avery's the only one I own here.**

# # #

House returned to his office from his clinic duty rotation to find a young woman standing with Foreman, engaged in what appeared to be idle chat. He frowned as he approached the duo.

"New girlfriend already, Foreman?" House asked. "Most guys at least let the ink dry on the marriage license before they start stepping out on their wives."

Foreman rolled his eyes as the woman looked vaguely amused, extending her hand. "Doctor Nicole Schaffer. I'm here for my interview."

House nodded, switching his cane to his left hand long enough to shake the young doctor's hand. "Right. Follow me."

Foreman and Schaffer followed the older doctor into his office, and Foreman led Schaffer into the conference room to settle in before House entered. He poured himself a cup of coffee, gesturing to Schaffer. "Would you like some?"

"Yes, please." Schaffer rose from her seat to fix herself a cup of decaf, stirring in a packet of sugar. She was nervous enough without adding caffeine to the mix.

"She doesn't work here yet." House's booming baritone filled the room as he entered. "I don't think she's earned coffee privileges."

Schaffer stiffened and Foreman shot House an exasperated look before turning to her. "Relax. Take a seat."

Schaffer took her coffee and sat down across from House, Foreman sitting at his usual spot at the end of the table. House appeared deep in thought, studying what must have been her resume through the glasses that were now perched on his nose. She wrapped her hands around the coffee mug as Foreman glanced over at House, clearing his throat in an attempt to get his attention.

House looked up, seemingly surprised at the presence of the two other people in the room. "Right. Let's get started. Why anesthesiology?"

The question caught Schaffer off guard, but she recovered quickly. "Because I get to take care of a surgical patient from start to finish. It's not just about giving the patient the drugs." She went on to explain the many facets of her specialty, from pre-operative care to recovery.

House nodded, impressed with her passion and knowledge, though he was careful not to show it. "And you're willing to leave that behind to do this?"

Schaffer nodded. "This is an opportunity that doesn't come along every day. When something like this comes along, you jump on it. At least, I do." She was having trouble containing her nerves as she took another sip of her coffee.

House gestured to Foreman, who handed him an old case file. The older doctor gave Schaffer a steely look as he rattled off the patient's symptoms, and they spent the next half hour working through the case file.

Foreman was impressed with Schaffer's ability to keep up with House's leaps of logic, and they soon reached the final page of the file. House's lips curved into a smile as Schaffer nailed the final diagnosis.

He pushed himself to his feet and jerked his head, indicating Schaffer and Foreman to follow him. "Field trip. We're going down to the clinic to meet your new co-workers."

Schaffer's heart leapt into her throat. "That's it? I'm hired?"

"Yep." House continued down the hallway, punching the down button with the tip of his cane. "Wouldn't be taking you to the clinic otherwise."

Schaffer squealed internally, allowing only a small smile to show on her face. Foreman shook his head as they stood behind House, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Welcome to the madness."

The two doctors followed House onto the elevator, and it was a quiet ride down to the main floor containing the clinic. The three of them strode into the clinic, where Taub was finishing a patient's chart while Thirteen was leading another patient into an exam room.

"Welcome to…the bane of my existence." House announced, spreading his arms wide. "Princeton-Plainsboro's free clinic. When we don't have a case, this is where we end up, dealing with the dregs of humanity."

Foreman rolled his eyes, groaning internally as House continued to explain the horrors of clinic duty. He spotted Cuddy leaving her office and crossing the space that separated them. "House." He hissed in a vain attempt to stop him before Cuddy showed up.

House either didn't hear him or blatantly ignored him, startled when he heard a clearing throat behind him. Schaffer's eyes went wide at the sight of the well-dressed petite woman that was standing directly behind House, her arms folded across her chest, tapping one high-heeled toe against the floor. "Are you done now?"

"Nope." House spoke cheerfully. "I'm just getting warmed up." He gestured to Schaffer. "This is Little Nicky. She's going to be Foreman's and Kutner's replacement. Nice two-for-one deal, wouldn't you say?"

Cuddy smiled warmly and extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And clinic duty isn't nearly as horrible as House makes it out to be. I actually quite enjoy it."

"That's because you haven't had a real patient in ten years." House muttered as he tapped his cane on the floor. "Wouldn't know one if it bit you on the ass."

Cuddy fixed House with a sharp look before continuing. "If you'd like to step into my office, we'll get all your paperwork squared away. When will you be starting?"

"Monday." House answered for her. "I want her to tag along before Foreman leaves."

Schaffer panicked briefly. She had hoped to give a little more notice before leaving, but…when House came calling, you didn't say no. Hopefully her boss would understand.

Cuddy started to return to her office, and House huffed in irritation. "Guess you'll have to meet the other kids later."

Schaffer didn't mind, she decided as she followed House and Foreman into Cuddy's office. She was going to be working for House. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and her excitement grew as she started to fill out the forms that would officially start her employment. Suddenly Monday couldn't come soon enough.

# # #

After Schaffer left, House and Foreman returned to Diagnostics. The older doctor immediately started gathering up his things, preparing to leave for the weekend.

Foreman arched an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"Home." House answered as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Avery's dragging me to that bed and breakfast where she wants to have the wedding."

"Nice." Foreman smirked a little, folding his arms over his chest.

"Yep." House smirked in return. "Hope to get a preview of the wedding night, too."

Foreman rolled his eyes at House's lame attempt to shock him. After so many years of working for and with the man, there was very little he could say that would surprise him. "Have fun."

"I plan on it." House strode out of his office, stopping by Avery's office on his way to the elevator and poking his head just inside the door. "Ready to roll, babe?"

"Almost." Avery replied, glancing over her glasses at him. "Just have to wrap up a couple of things."

House stepped into her office, taking a seat in front of her desk and watching her work. It didn't matter what the woman was doing. She made a mundane task such as administrative paperwork look damn good.

Finally she finished her work, taking off her glasses and delicately placing them in their case before tucking them in the side pocket of her purse. "Shall we?"

House pushed himself out of the chair with his cane, grinning as he did so. "We shall."

They chatted idly as they left the hospital and drove back to Avery's apartment so she could pack up for the weekend. As he waited for her, House found himself anticipating the weekend ahead, and not just for the endless possibilities for hot sex with his lovely fiancee. He couldn't remember the last time he had taken any sort of vacation with anyone. He and Stacy had once, years ago, but it was such a distant memory that it might as well not even had happened at all.

"Something on your mind, baby?" Avery looked amused at House's ponderous expression.

"Just…" House twisted his mouth in thought. "Just looking forward to this, that's all."

"I'm glad." Avery met him with a kiss as they prepared to leave. "Can't remember the last romantic getaway I took with someone."

House smirked, his eyes lighting up. "You're just using that as a cover to drag me along with your crazy wedding plans."

"Whatever works." Avery laughed gently as she left the apartment, House following close behind.

After a quick stop at House's apartment, the two of the hit the road, easily finding the small Victorian-style bed and breakfast just outside of Princeton. Avery drew in a soft breath as she pulled up. The pictures in the brochure and on the website didn't do the reality justice. The place was stunning.

They parked and climbed the short flight of steps that led into the bed and breakfast, opening the door to reveal an elegant, yet cozy lobby. After receiving their room key and confirming the appointment with the wedding planner, House and Avery were led to their room on the first floor.

House let out a low whistle as they entered the room and set down their bags. The room was lushly appointed without being ostentatious, with a queen size bed made up with a soft down comforter and what seemed like hundreds of pillows piled on top.

Avery walked into the bathroom to unpack her toiletries, and was immediately awestruck by the large whirlpool tub that took up a good deal of the space. Her lips curved into a smile as a thought crossed her mind. She and House had nowhere they had to go until their meeting with the wedding planner the next morning, and Avery couldn't think of a better way to start their weekend.

She started the water, making sure the temperature was just as hot as she knew House liked it before turning on the whirlpool jets. As soon as she stripped down and climbed into the tub, she called out to House.

"Hey, baby!" Avery's voice carried out to where House lay stretched out across the soft bed. "Come check out this tub!"

House groaned slightly as he pushed himself off the bed and limped toward the bathroom. "This had better be worth it. I was nice and comfortable until you…" He stopped as soon as he opened the bathroom door.

Avery was lounging in the tub, steam rising from the swirling water. She fixed him with a soft smile. "So…what do you think?"

House's eyes lit up as a slow smile crept onto his face. "I _think_ that you need some company in there. You look lonely."

"So come join me already."

Avery didn't have to tell House twice. Hell, she barely had to tell him once. Her words had no sooner left her mouth than House had stripped down and eased himself into the steaming, swirling water, sitting opposite Avery and stretching out his long legs to surround her, letting the heat soak into him before sitting up and pulling Avery close to him. "Come here, woman."

Avery easily complied, shifting to her knees so that she was in between House's legs, bracing herself against the edge of the tub as she leaned in to place a tender kiss on his lips. He responded by pulling her closer, deepening the kiss as his hands spread out over her back and rear, smoothing his hands all over her as he felt her soft breasts crush against his chest.

Her hands roamed over his ribcage as she pressed soft kisses along his rough jaw while reaching down to take his ever-hardening shaft in her hand, stroking him to full hardness before shifting so that she straddled him. She eased herself over him, slipping him inside her, evoking a soft groan from House.

She moved up and down on him, slowly at first, then speeding up as he started hitting that sweet spot deep inside of her. A low moan escaped her as she edged closer to her release, and House gripped her tighter, a sure sign that he was nearly as close to the edge as she was.

House's hands wrapped around her waist, holding her down on him as he arched upward into her, releasing with a loud groan. Avery wasn't far behind, and she collapsed against House's chest with a soft sigh as House roughly stroked the nape of her neck.

"I love you, babe." House finally murmured. "I want to do this for the rest of our lives."

"I'm good with that." Avery answered softly, squeezing him before finally lifting herself off him, turning so that she sat between his legs. She rested her head against his chest as House slipped his arms around her waist, lightly kissing her neck.

"Good thing." House rested his head against the wall of the tub, simply enjoying the sweet weight of Avery's body against him. It felt so good that he never wanted to get out. "You mind if we just sleep in here tonight? I kind of don't want to move."

Avery laughed softly, enjoying the feel of House's arms wrapped around her. "What about food?"

"Hmm." House frowned thoughtfully. "Didn't think of that. Is there room service in this joint? And do you think they would deliver in here?"

Avery laughed even harder at the idea. "No, no room service here. I think we're actually going to have to get out of this thing to go eat."

"Damn." House shifted so that he was sitting a little more upright. "Fine. Let me out. Let's see what's good to eat around here."

Avery shook her head. "Good to know you've got your priorities in order."

The two of them climbed out of the tub and dried off. House dressed in his clothes from earlier while Avery padded out into the bedroom to find clothes more casual than her work clothes. House wouldn't have minded seeing her in her pencil skirt and high heels, but Avery pulled off jeans and t-shirts with equal ease and elegance.

They soon found themselves walking down the main street of the small town, finding a café close by. The hostess smiled broadly and seated them in a booth near the window, and the couple passed the time with idle chat while they waited for their food.

While they shared dessert, House set his chin on the palm of his hand, supporting himself on his elbow as he stared across the table at Avery. Finally he took her left hand, playing with the diamond ring that sparkled in the low light of the café.

"Thanks for dragging me out here." House fixed Avery with a slight smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he did so.

Avery smiled warmly in return, sticking a forkful of cheesecake into House's mouth. "But of course. I think we needed the little getaway."

"Remind me to do this more often." House mumbled around the mouthful of cheesecake.

"I plan on it." Avery answered firmly. "We do still have a honeymoon to plan, you know. Anywhere in particular you want to go?"

House frowned thoughtfully. "Can't say I've really thought about it." In truth, he hadn't left Princeton for anything that wasn't work-related in many years. "Anywhere that isn't winter in Jersey sounds good to me."

"I can work with that." Avery's mind was rich with ideas. "So…do you want a part in planning it, or would you like to be surprised?"

After a little internal debate, House nodded firmly. "Surprise me."

Avery would have squealed with delight if they weren't in public. "Excellent. You will _not_ be disappointed."

House was amused at the look of child-like excitement that Avery tried to hide from him. He took Avery's hand and placed a light kiss in her palm. "Ready to head back?"

"Whenever you are."

"Good." House fixed her with a wicked grin. "As good as that meal was…I have other…appetites that require satisfaction."

Avery laughed to herself as she walked alongside House on the way back, pleasantly surprised to feel his rough hand slide into her soft one and grasp it, squeezing lightly. For the time being, it was just the two of them, and it felt wonderful. Like House, she wanted to do this for the rest of their lives. She certainly had never quite felt that way with Bryan.

Avery quickly checked the thought as they returned to their room. House tossed his cane aside and wrapped his arms around Avery's waist, pressing a flurry of kisses to her neck as he guided her toward the bed.

They made love again, losing themselves in each other as they rolled all over the large, soft bed, finally coming to rest against each other, thoroughly spent. Avery curled against House, her eyes drifting closed as she listened to the sound of House's breathing.

"What time do we have to meet with that wedding planner?" House rumbled, sounding as if he were right on the edge of falling asleep.

"Not until eleven." Avery answered sleepily. "We've got plenty of time to sleep in."

"Or not." House teased as he pulled Avery closer to him. "Maybe I'll wake up a little early. Never know."

Avery chuckled a little as she took in House's spicy scent. Either option was fine with her, too.

# # #

**Back to you, dear readers. Read and review. :)**


	66. A Simple Plan

**Yes, back with yet another update! I've been a writing fool this weekend. As usual, Avery and the B and B staff are the only ones that belong to me.**

# # #

The soft light of morning was just starting to stream through the curtains as House slowly opened his eyes. Avery still slept next to him, but it took him a moment to remember where they were.

He rolled over slightly, wrapping an arm around Avery's waist and inhaling her soft citrus scent as he kissed the top of her head. She stirred ever so slightly, her coffee brown eyes fluttering open as she greeted him with a sleepy smile. "Good morning, baby."

"Yes it is." House leaned over her to give her a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "And good morning to you, too."

Avery draped her arms around House and answered back with a tender kiss of her own, pulling him in close and wrapping a leg around his.

House broke the kiss with a slow smile, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "I seem to be trapped. Whatever will I do?"

Avery smiled sweetly in response, her soft hands smoothing over his back. "I think you'll figure it out."

"Hmm…" House pretended to think hard before bending over her to lay a line of kisses down her elegant throat, ending in the space that separated her collarbones, evoking a soft murmur of pleasure from her. "How am I doing so far?"

"So far, so good." Avery answered softly, letting her hands wander all over his strong back. "Keep going."

"If you insist." House continued working his way down, taking the soft flesh of her breasts in his hands and stroking the nipples lightly with his thumbs as his mouth traveled down her stomach, ending just above her center. "How about now?"

Avery giggled girlishly as she stroked the top of his head. "Getting warmer…"

House shifted slightly and moved one hand down her stomach to her center, spreading the folds and stroking lightly with one finger while capturing a nipple in his mouth, flicking over it with his tongue before sucking on it lightly.

Avery moaned softly under his ministrations, arching into his hand as he entered her with first one finger, then two, while stroking her with a thumb. He moved so that he lay beside her, leaving a trail of kisses back up her neck until he captured her lips with his own, kissing her deeply while he continued to finger her.

House suddenly broke away from her, moving so that he was between her legs, spreading them apart with his hands and lightly caressing the insides of her thighs. Her eyelids fluttered open ever so slightly, just enough to watch House as he bent down over her, nuzzling the hair that surrounded her center before flicking at her with his tongue. She gasped sharply at the sensation, spreading herself further as he licked and sucked at her, entering her with two fingers.

She squirmed under him, moaning as he brought her to the edge and over, releasing with a soft sigh as she stroked the top of his head. He pushed himself so that he lay beside her, and she almost immediately took his shaft in her hand, stroking him until he came to full hardness before rolling him onto his back and straddling him.

House easily entered her, taking her breasts in his hands and caressing the soft skin as Avery moved over him, smoothing her hands over the rough hair of his chest, finding his nipples and gently rolling them around between her fingers. He let out a rough groan and moved his hands to her rear, taking hold as he pumped into her, arching upward as he found his own release, relaxing with a shaky sigh as he pulled Avery to his chest, breathing heavily while he stroked her back.

"Goddammit, woman." He rumbled in her ear. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm getting too old for this?"

Avery laughed as she lay against him, listening to his slowing heartbeat. "Keep on trying to tell me that. I'll keep right on ignoring you."

"Probably the better plan." House answered. "Seems like you know me better than I know me."

"I wouldn't say that." Avery lifted her head and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"I would." House fixed her with a slight smile, stroking her hair. "Trust me, it's a good thing."

Avery smiled in return, kissing him one more time before pushing herself off of him. "We need to get moving if we're going to have time for breakfast before we meet the wedding planner."

"You go ahead, babe." House grinned teasingly as he watched her pad into the bathroom. "I've already had my breakfast."

"You're a hot mess." Avery laughed heartily as she closed the door behind her, and House could hear her hum to herself as she started the shower. He blew out a long sigh and intertwined his fingers behind his head, closing his eyes and relaxing in the soft bed.

This had been a brilliant idea on Avery's part, he had to admit that. In their time together, he couldn't recall when they had simply gotten away from everyone and everything. Chicago didn't count, House figured. That had been an entirely different set of circumstances, although House thought he wouldn't mind going back for an actual visit.

He was curious to see what Avery would come up with for their honeymoon. Whatever it was, it was bound to be enjoyable. As long as Avery was with him, he'd go damn near anywhere.

She eventually emerged from the bathroom, that glorious citrus scent trailing behind her, and he watched her as she got dressed in a soft sweater and a pair of dark jeans that hugged her curves perfectly. House grinned at the thought of having _that_ beside him as they wandered around this little town, or anywhere else, for that matter.

"Baby, you going to get moving, or what?" Avery's gentle voice pulled him out of his thoughts as she sat on the bed beside him.

House sighed heavily and shifted slightly, placing a hand at Avery's waist. "I guess. No getting out of this part, is there?"

"Not if you want some say in _your_ wedding." Avery leaned down to give him a quick kiss.

"I thought you'd take care of all this." House halfheartedly complained, a small smile lighting his rough face. "I figured all I'd have to do is show up."

Avery arched an eyebrow at him. "These things _can_ be arranged, you know…"

"Woman, are you threatening me?" House pulled Avery down to him for another kiss.

"Yes." She answered, a teasing expression on her face. "I will go Bridezilla on you so damned fast your head will spin."

House pretended to shudder at the idea. "Fine, let me up. _Somebody's_ got to stop this madness in its tracks. Might as well be me."

Avery laughed softly as she rose from the bed to allow House to easily climb out. "Thought you'd see it my way."

"Don't I usually?" House tossed over his shoulder as he limped toward the bathroom. Avery admired his retreating form as he went, watching the muscle flex under his skin. While he wasn't getting any younger, he certainly wasn't any worse for wear. If anything, he had gotten better with age, Avery decided.

He caught her staring as he turned to close the bathroom door. "Are you checking me out?"

A wide smile crossed Avery's face. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I?"

House could think of a million reasons why not, but none of them really mattered just then. Judging by the way Avery was looking at him, she liked what she saw. He smirked to himself as he closed the door behind him. If Avery liked what was there, she could go right on staring. House didn't mind at all.

# # #

House and Avery finally made their way down the hall to the dining area, where they were served a breakfast of blueberry pancakes, sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, and coffee. They lingered over their breakfast and coffee, making idle conversation as they did so, simply enjoying their time together.

Their hostess made her way over to their table, refilling their coffee cups. "Good morning. Is this your first visit?"

"Yes." Avery answered. "You have a lovely place here."

"Yeah, we especially liked that whirlpool tub." House smirked. "_Very_ relaxing."

The hostess's eyes lit up at the compliment while Avery kicked House under the table. "I'm so glad you're enjoying. Hopefully you like it enough to come back soon."

"We will be." Avery smiled warmly and took House's hand. "We're getting married here in December."

"Oh, a holiday wedding!" The hostess exclaimed. "How romantic! It's a beautiful place for a wedding."

"That's what we've heard, too." House responded. "Pretty nice place for a wedding night, too."

The hostess blushed slightly as Avery fixed House with a sharp glare. "Well…you folks have a lovely rest of your weekend. Hope to see you again for your wedding."

As soon as the hostess left, Avery sighed and shook her head. "You are going to get us kicked out of here talking like that."

"Like what?" House was all wide-eyed innocence as he rested his chin on his hand. "I was very complimentary."

"All I'm saying is…don't say anything too crazy to the wedding planner, okay?"

House huffed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, ruin all my fun."

"Not at all, baby." Avery smiled warmly as she rested her chin on her intertwined fingers. "I just want to make sure this wedding is all we _both _want it to be."

House's expression suddenly turned serious as his eyes dropped to stare at the table. "Same here."

His voice was so soft that Avery almost missed it. She reached across to take the hand that rested on the table. "You know I was just teasing about that Bridezilla stuff, right?"

House smiled slightly, staring down at the hand that covered his own, fingering the sapphire and diamond ring that graced her right hand. "I know. I just…" His voice trailed off as he collected his thoughts. "As long as you're still going to hitch yourself to me, that's all I really care about. Everything else is…window dressing." He brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss in the palm. "I love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. _That's _the main thing."

Avery's heart melted at House's words. Ultimately, that's all she wanted, too. "We'll keep it small, just our closest friends and family. Once upon a time, I thought I wanted the big show, but now…I think I like this idea better."

"Works for me." House's smile grew a little wider, and Avery could seem him visibly relax. He squeezed her hand and drained the rest of his coffee. "About time for us to meet this planner, right?"

Avery quickly checked her watch. "Yes. We'd better get going."

They found the room where the wedding planner was there waiting for them. He was an elegant man, and he held out his hand to both Avery and House. "Hello, my name is Alan Weathers."

"So nice to meet you." Avery smiled warmly and grasped the man's hand. "I'm Doctor Avery Matthews. We spoke on the phone."

"Ah, of course! A pleasure to meet you face to face." He turned and smiled at House. "And this handsome devil must be your fiance."

House looked vaguely uncomfortable as he shook the planner's hand. "Doctor Gregory House."

"Lovely to meet you." He looked House up and down, and House couldn't help but get the uneasy feeling that the man was flirting with him. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Alan showed them the space, explaining how they usually set it up for weddings. "The altar would be right here, with the aisle going straight back to the door."

"Could we make that aisle a little wider? Got a couple of preggos in the wedding party." House asked, a slightly teasing expression on his face.

Avery smacked him on the arm before turning to Alan, who regarded the pair with an arched eyebrow. "Don't mind him. Leave the aisle as it is."

"Certainly." Alan smoothly continued. "Have you given any thought to decorations? Poinsettias are very popular for holiday-themed weddings."

Avery twisted her mouth thoughtfully, House's voice suddenly breaking into her thoughts. "It's not a Christmas wedding. It's a winter wedding. What have you got for that?"

Avery's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and Alan's eyes lit up in delight. He clapped his hands together, his mind racing with ideas. House's eyes started to glaze over as the man rattled on about color schemes and flowers.

Fortunately, Avery seemed to keep up, adding her own input as House decided to simply wander around the space, trying to imagine the place decked out for a wedding. Not just _a _wedding, but _their_ wedding. His lips curved into a smile at the thought.

"Hey, baby." Avery suddenly appeared beside him, an arm wrapped around his waist. "I think we've got it all figured out if you're interested."

"Sure." House nodded and followed Avery and Alan into his office, where he quickly started typing numbers into his calculator to give them an estimate. He typed up a detailed statement, printing it and presenting it to Avery and House with a flourish.

"I believe that covers everything. The catering will be billed separately once you two lovebirds decide what you want." He glanced at House. "I've already given the lovely lady the menu. Just give it to the front desk when you've got everything arranged."

House nodded, letting out a low whistle at the figure Alan was charging them. "You sure you want to go through with this, babe? Vegas would be cheaper."

Alan looked affronted, and Avery merely rolled her eyes. "Positive. It will look astounding when it's done."

"Damn well better for that price." House grumbled as Avery made out a check for the deposit, handing it to Alan.

"Think of it this way." Alan explained. "With any luck, you'll only do this once. Might as well make the most of it."

Alan was right, House knew that. As long as Avery was okay with it, he would be too. "Fine. Let's get to the important part."

"And what would that be?" Avery was amused, deciding to play along with House.

"The food…and the reservation for the wedding night." House couldn't help waggling his eyebrows at Avery.

"Yeah, never heard _that_ before." Alan rolled his eyes at the older man. "Will there be anything else?"

"No, Mister Weathers." Avery shot House an amused glance. "I think that covers everything."

The couple rose as Alan stepped around his desk, shaking House's hand and giving Avery a quick hug. "Then we will see you for the rehearsal on December seventeenth, with the wedding to follow December eighteenth at seven o'clock."

"Excellent." Avery returned the hug as House nodded. "Thank you for all your help."

The pair left the office, retiring to the lobby with the catering menu. Avery frowned as she looked over the choices. "Buffet or sit-down dinner?"

"Buffet, no question." House answered. "No need to get too formal."

They browsed the buffet menu, picking out a mix of dishes that covered a majority of their guests' tastes. "What about the cake? They've got quite a selection here."

House looked over the pictures, stabbing at a simple three-tier yellow cake covered in colorful fondant. "That one. That'll be sure to make a few people scratch their heads."

Avery laughed, scribbling it on the order form. "Do you want a groom's cake?"

"Are you kidding me?" House rolled his eyes.

"I'll take it that's a _no_." Avery looked amused. "Open bar?"

House thought about the people that would be attending. "Nah, better make it a cash bar. Don't want anyone wrapping a car around a tree on the way home."

Avery checked a few more boxes on the form. "I think that's everything."

"Not quite." House responded, rising to join Avery at the desk. "Got to reserve the room for the night."

"I didn't forget. Don't worry." Avery patted House's hand as he leaned against the desk.

The front desk clerk checked over the form, entering it into the computer and printing an itemized bill. "That should cover it."

"Jesus." House grumbled. "This is getting crazy."

"Relax." Avery squeezed his hand. "I've got it covered."

"Not the point." House was getting a little overwhelmed by the details. Wilson and Chase hadn't warned him about this part. Or maybe they had, and he had just ignored it.

"Hey, baby." Avery was nudging him again. "We can get the same room we have now if we want it."

House's eyes lit up. This was one idea he was completely on board with. "I want."

"Then that's everything." The clerk smiled warmly as she handed Avery the reservation. "We'll see you back here on December seventeenth."

House blew out a long sigh as the couple returned to their room, flopping across the bed. "This wedding planning shit is tiring. I think I need a nap."

Avery laughed and joined House on the bed, curling her body around him. "You? I did most of the work."

"Actually, that Alan character did most of the work." House pointed out. "I think he was hitting on me."

"Well, who could blame him?" Avery squeezed him lightly. "You _are_ a handsome devil. Emphasis on devil."

"Oh, look who's cracking jokes." House rolled his eyes, kissing the top of Avery's head, falling quiet for a moment as the events of the day washed over him. Now that the plans were made, it felt even more concrete. "So…I guess we're fully committed to this thing now, huh?"

"Sure are." Avery's voice took on a sleepy quality. "How are you feeling about it?"

A smile spread across House's face as he lightly stroked Avery's arm. "Good. I feel…really, really good." A thought occurred to him. "I'd better call my mom. If we don't invite her, I'll never hear the end of it."

"I was going to start sending out invitations when we got home anyway." Avery answered. "But you haven't talked to your mom in a while. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you."

House chuckled as he dug his phone out of his pocket, finding Blythe's number in his contacts. On the second ring, he heard her soft voice. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom. How are things?"

"Greg! It's so good to hear from you!" Blythe exclaimed. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." House told her. "Avery dragged me to this bed and breakfast for the weekend. It was part of her evil plot to help her plan the wedding." He chuckled as Avery smacked him on the arm.

On the other end, a warm smile crept over Blythe's face. "So it's official now?"

"Yep." House replied. "December seventeenth for the rehearsal, December eighteenth for the real deal. Be there or be square."

"Well, I will most definitely be there." Blythe felt a lump growing in her throat at the idea. It was really happening. She was going to live to see her son get married to that marvelous woman of his. She only wished that John was here to see this happen, too.

"That's great, Mom. Hold on, Avery wants to talk to you."

Blythe could hear them in the background, teasing each other gently, and she could hear Avery's gentle laugh combined with House's low rumbling one. Finally Avery's voice carried down the line to her. "Blythe?"

"Hello, Avery." Blythe smiled even wider at the sound of her voice. "How are you, dear?"

"Fine." Avery answered. "Looking forward to seeing you at the wedding."

"Same here." Blythe replied. "I never thought I'd live to see my son get married. I'm so glad he met you."

Avery smiled broadly as she looked over at House. He was stretched out across the bed, eyes closed, a small smile on his rough face. "I am, too. It's going to be a beautiful wedding."

The two women launched into a brief discussion of the decorations and the food, and Blythe was impressed with how quickly they had pulled the whole thing together, and at House's participation.

"Well, I don't want to keep you two from enjoying your weekend." Blythe finally told Avery. "I'll see you in December."

"I'll send out the official invitations when we get home." Avery informed her. "See you soon." She glanced over at House, who was snoring lightly. "I'd put you back on with Greg, but all this wedding planning seems to have worn him out."

"That's fine." Blythe laughed. "I'll talk to him some other time. Goodbye, dear."

"Bye." Avery closed House's phone and set it on the bedside table before curling herself back around House's warm body. A nap curled up next to the man she loved sounded like a fine plan to her as well.

# # #

**You know what to do. Read and review. :)**


	67. Every Picture Tells A Story

**Sorry for letting this one linger so long. Sure didn't mean to. Once again, I don't own House, Wilson or any ducklings not of my own creation.**

# # #

Avery was back at work behind her desk on Monday morning, still recovering from the weekend at the bed and breakfast. It had been gloriously relaxing, and Avery made a note to plan these little getaways a lot more often. Clearly she and House both needed them.

Now that their wedding plans were safely squared away, the only thing left to do was to send out the wedding invitations. Cameron had graciously offered to spend her lunch break that day to help Avery stuff and stamp so that she could get them sent out that day. With only about six weeks before the event, she wanted to make sure to get them sent out as quickly as she could to ensure that the people she wanted there would be able to attend.

A knock on her office door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in, it's open." She called out. The door swung open to reveal a young woman she didn't quite recognize. "Can I help you?"

The young woman held out her hand while clutching a case file in the other. "Doctor Nicole Schaffer. I work for Doctor House."

"Of course." Avery remembered House going on about her. "House has told me a great deal about you. Welcome aboard." Avery fixed her with a slightly stern look. "He isn't working you too hard yet, is he?"

"Not really. He sent me here for a consult." Schaffer handed the file to Avery, who proceeded to put on her glasses and study the file.

It was quiet for a long moment, and Schaffer started getting nervous. By all accounts, Matthews was a kindhearted woman, the yin to House's yang. Even so, she was a department head, and Schaffer was still a little intimidated.

Finally Avery broke out into a wide smile and handed the file back to Schaffer. "Tell that man to quit sending you on a wild goose chase. There's nothing here."

"Dammit." Schaffer muttered to herself as she took the file back from Avery. "I should have known."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Avery told her firmly. "You took the fellowship to learn, right?" Schaffer nodded. "Then consider this part of the learning experience."

"Thank you." Schaffer felt a little better after her slightly embarrassing gaffe. "It was nice to meet you."

"Same here, Schaffer." Avery smiled warmly at House's newest team member. "I'm sure we'll meet again."

Schaffer sighed as she left Avery's office and returned to Diagnostics. She already knew she was in for a ribbing from the rest of the team. Hopefully they would be easier on her than she suspected House would be.

She returned to the conference room to find it empty, save for House, who was staring down his whiteboard. He turned sharply when he heard the conference room door open. It was a habit that had never quite left him.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." Schaffer spoke as she set the file on the table. "No cardiac issues, but I _do _have a message from your fiance."

"Really." House frowned slightly at Schaffer. "Do tell."

"She said to quit sending me on wild goose chases." Schaffer couldn't help but smile slightly. "She's a lovely woman, really."

House fixed Schaffer with a sharp glare. "What did I tell you about checking out my fiance? Get your own woman."

"I already have one." Schaffer answered. "And I wasn't checking her out."

"Good." House snapped as he picked up the file. "Because that's my job." He lifted his head when Taub and Thirteen entered the room. "What have you got?"

"We've got a new symptom." Taub responded. "Patient has lost vision in her right eye. Foreman's consulting with an ophthalmologist right now."

"Interesting…" House turned as he scribbled it on the board. Schaffer sat in with the team as they discussed ideas back and forth. Foreman soon returned, passing copies of the scan around the table.

House pulled his glasses out of his shirt pocket and shoved them on his face before holding his copy of the scan to the light. Even then, the image was fuzzy. Out of frustration he barked, "Schaffer, tell me what you see."

Schaffer carefully studied the scan, noticing an abnormality that appeared to be in the vicinity of the patient's optic nerve. "There's something pressing on the optic nerve, but it doesn't explain the rest of her symptoms…unless whatever is pressing on the optic nerve is growing elsewhere."

House nodded firmly and handed the file to Schaffer. "Run down the hall and get a consult with Wilson. Don't worry about interrupting whatever he's doing. He's used to it."

"I'll go with you." Thirteen jumped up from the table to join Schaffer.

"While I'm sure Wilson would be thrilled to have a couple of hot dyke docs in his office…" House intoned. "It's really only a one-person job, and since Schaffer's the newbie, she's it."

Thirteen slowly sat down at the table as Schaffer left the room to find Wilson. Schaffer couldn't help but think that she was being led on another wild goose chase. She tapped gently on Wilson's office door.

"Come on in." His warm voice carried through the door as Schaffer poked her head in. Wilson's face broke into a warm grin. "You must be House's newest victim…I mean, fellow."

Schaffer laughed slightly, a little of her tension easing. "Yes. He sent me down here for a consult." She pointed to a shadow in the area of the patient's optic nerve. "It looks like there might be a growth there. We were thinking that there might be some elsewhere. It would fit her symptoms."

Wilson nodded as he took the films and put them on his light board, studying them closely. "Looks like you might be right. It's worth checking out." He turned to Schaffer. "Nice catch. Tell House that we'll take it from here."

"Thank you, I will." Schaffer could barely suppress a smile as she left Wilson's office. She strode confidently back into the conference room, where House and the others were still discussing and debating. She briefly cleared her throat before speaking. "Wilson told me to let you know that his department will take it from here."

"Really?" House was surprised, and a little suspicious. The shadows could indicate cancer, but they could indicate many other things as well. He casually unclipped his name badge and tossed it to Schaffer. "Congratulations. For nailing your first diagnosis, you get to play my part down in the clinic. See you in four hours."

Schaffer sighed to herself as she caught the badge and clipped it to her lab coat. Foreman had already warned her that this would be part of the job. House hardly ever did his own clinic hours if he didn't have to.

Thirteen caught up to her just as she reached the elevators. Schaffer glanced over with a skeptical look. "Are you heading down to the clinic, too?"

"Not just yet. House wants me to check in on the patient first." Thirteen met Schaffer's eyes. "Think you might be free for lunch after clinic?"

Schaffer shrugged, not sure how to take Thirteen. "Normally my girlfriend would meet me for lunch, but her schedule's kind of screwy today. I think I'll be free."

Thirteen smiled a little. "My husband's got some work to do to prepare for his new job, and…we see enough of each other anyway." A thought occurred to her. "I'm not hitting on you, if that's what you're wondering. I imagine House told you a little bit about me."

Schaffer couldn't help but laugh in response. "Actually, it was Foreman." Her eyes went a little wide. "You mean…oh. Foreman's your husband, isn't he?"

The elevator opened, and both women stepped on. "Yes, he is. We just got married over the summer. House actually walked me down the aisle." She proceeded to tell Schaffer the story of how House managed to talk her out of the changing room and down the aisle. "He might give the appearance of bluster and bullshit, but he's really got a heart under all that. I guess Matthews saw it in him before any of us did."

The two women continued to chat all the way to the clinic, separating as Thirteen went to go check on their patient. Schaffer couldn't help but feel a bit warmed at Thirteen's friendly overtures. This new job was getting off to an excellent start.

# # #

House limped into Avery's office just as she was starting in on her mail. She greeted him with a brief smile and an arched eyebrow. "Don't you have clinic duty?"

"New kid's doing it for me, freeing me up for lunch with a certain hot cardiologist." House leaned on his cane in front of her desk, fixing her with a wicked grin. "So, what do you say?"

"I say that I've got a lot to catch up on, and…I wish I was free, but…" She gestured expansively. "Besides, you've just had a weekend full of me. Aren't you sick of me yet?"

"Never, babe." House smirked and leaned over the desk for a quick kiss. "Guess I'll see if Wilson's free for lunch. I'll see you later. Still have some packing to do, you know."

"Of course." Avery returned the kiss with a smile. "I'll see you tonight."

House left Avery's office in search of Wilson, finding him up to his ears in case files when he opened the door. "So…you met Schaffer today."

"Is that her name?" Wilson replied mildly. "I could have sworn her name was 'Fresh Meat'."

"Not yet." House rolled his eyes as he settled in on Wilson's couch. "I'm waiting for Foreman to leave before I really lay into her."

Wilson shook his head in response. House was tough on his employees, he knew, but generally not without purpose. "You'll do nothing of the kind. Avery will have your head."

House shrugged. "Schaffer's tough. She can take it. And by that I mean…" He leaned forward to whisper almost conspiratorially, "She swings the other way more than Thirteen."

Wilson's eyes went wide. "No way."

"Yep." House looked like a cat that had caught the canary.

"I don't even want to know how you found that out." Wilson returned to the case file he was working on.

"I have my ways." House rested his elbows on his knees, tapping his cane on the floor between his legs. "Are you about done? It's already half past lunchtime."

"Like you have anywhere to be." Wilson replied. "You've already got Schaffer doing your clinic hours."

"No matter." House responded. "Come on. Those files aren't going anywhere."

"Fine." Wilson finished the file he was working on, rose from his chair, and put on his lab coat. "Just for constantly harassing me, you're buying lunch."

"Yeah, that'll happen." House snorted as he and Wilson moved toward the elevator. The doors opened to reveal Schaffer and Thirteen. The two women were chatting and laughing easily with each other, and Schaffer tossed House back his badge as casually as he had lobbed it at her earlier.

"So that was clinic duty." She commented. "It really wasn't that bad."

"Sure, you say that now." House snarked. "Just wait until you've diagnosed your tenth STD in a day. You'll feel differently then."

He heard Wilson chuckle next to him as they stepped onto the elevator. "You sure know how to pick them."

House merely glanced over at him and leaned against the wall of the elevator. "She's a damn good doctor. That's why I hired her."

"Sure. And the fact that she was a lesbian had nothing to do with it."

"I never said that." House smirked. "Matter of fact, that was the tipping point. Thought it'd be interesting to see her and Thirteen together…preferably with a video camera nearby."

Wilson was stunned into near-silence. "I don't even know how to respond to that."

House smirked then. "You don't have to say anything. I know you were thinking the same thing."

The two men entered the cafeteria, and they soon got their lunch and settled into one of the booths. House produced an envelope and tossed it carelessly on the table.

"What's this?" Wilson picked it up and started to open it.

"Wedding invitation for Kara. Avery wanted me to take it to the clinic, but…" House shuddered mockingly. "Figured it'd be easier to pass it to you. I also figured that since you're the best man, you wouldn't need one of your own."

Wilson's eyebrows shot up immediately. "Seriously? You want me to be your best man?"

"Seriously." House checked his oncoming eyeroll. "Who else was I going to ask? Think of it as your opportunity for revenge for all those bachelor parties I threw for you."

A slow smile spread across Wilson's face. "I don't know…that's a pretty big job. I think I'd better ask Chase to help me out."

"Do what you have to do, Wilson." House reached across the table to steal a fry from Wilson's plate. "I'll just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labors."

"Oh, there will be plenty to enjoy, believe that." Wilson wiped at his mouth as House took his last fry. "So when's the big day?"

"December eighteenth. Rehearsal's the night before. All the info's in the invitation." House glanced around Wilson to see Cuddy walking his way with a file in her hand. "And…I've got to go."

"House!" Cuddy's voice stopped him before he could get away. "Got a case for you to look over."

House took the folder from Cuddy and started looking it over, a slow smile creeping over his weathered features. "Most excellent."

He dug out his phone, found one of his contacts and hit send. "Foreman? Gather up the Scooby Gang and meet at the Mystery Machine. We've got a case."

# # #

After working for the rest of the afternoon getting the team started in the right direction on their new case, House left them behind in favor of returning to the packing that still awaited him.

He pulled up in front of his place to see Avery's car already parked there. With any luck, she would have dinner already started, meaning he could put off more of his packing. Perhaps he could manage to entice her into letting him put off the packing for the remainder of the evening in favor of other things.

The smell of something smoky and spicy hit his nostrils as soon as he limped into the apartment, and Avery popped her head into the living room almost as soon as he entered. "Hey, baby. You're just in time. Dinner's almost done."

"And after dinner…?" House fixed her with a teasing grin.

"More packing." Avery laughed. "We've only got this week to get this mess packed up. Did you get a hold of the piano movers?"

House rolled his eyes as he limped into the kitchen and planted a brief kiss on Avery. "Yep. They're coming Saturday afternoon. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"

"Shouldn't be." Avery gently kissed him back before turning back to stir her chili. "Movers are showing up Saturday morning."

House wrapped his arms around her waist and set his chin on her shoulder. "Something's wrong with this conversation."

"And what would that be?"

"It's so damned…_domestic_." House wrinkled his nose. "You're making me lose my edge, you know."

Avery simply rolled her eyes and turned to give him a sample of the chili. He rolled it around in his mouth, savoring the full flavor before finally swallowing. "Domesticity does have its advantages."

"Thought you'd see it my way." Avery answered with a laugh. "Now come on and eat so we can get this packing thing done."

After a quick dinner, Avery proceeded to packing House's massive DVD and VHS collection. She arched her eyebrows at more than a few of the titles. "Baby, are you sure you really want to keep these?" She waved around one in particular that featured a busty, scantily-clad female on the cover.

House rolled his eyes as he emerged from his closet and limped over to take it out of her hand. "They're classics, every single last one of them. Hell yes, I'm keeping them."

"Mm-_hm_." Avery regarded him skeptically. "I'm sure you can find a place for them in your room."

House's eyes crinkled in a wicked grin. "Unless, of course…you'd be interested in watching them with me." He placed a hand at her waist and pulled her in close. "Could make for a very…_interesting _time."

Avery laughed faintly, and House could swear he saw just a hint of color rise in her caramel-colored cheeks. "Oooh…is that a 'maybe'?"

"We'll…discuss it." She answered, planting a quick kiss on his cheek and returning to packing up the movies.

House moved closer, leaning in to place a line of kisses up her neck. "I've got a confession."

"You don't say." Avery murmured, thoroughly distracted from her task at hand now.

"Mm-hm." House murmured in reply, whispering in her ear. "I haven't watched any of those much since we've been together."

"Is that right?" Avery chuckled. "I suppose now you're going to tell me you don't need to, because I'm so much hotter than those floozies."

"Something wrong with that?" House turned Avery so that she faced him. "And they're not floozies. Those girls work damned hard for the money, you know." He leaned down to plant a firm kiss on her lips. "I'd still rather have you."

"And why's that?" Avery asked teasingly, wrapping her arms around House's neck.

House shrugged. "You're here, and you're real. They're just babes on a screen."

Avery smiled warmly and pulled House down to her for a long, sweet kiss. After they finally broke apart, she told him, "Flattery will get you damn near everywhere, baby."

"Does it get me out of all this damn packing?"

"No, but…" She gave him one more brief kiss. "The quicker we get this done, the sooner we can move on to…whatever."

House grinned, lighting up his face. "I like the sound of 'whatever'." He lightly smacked Avery on the rear before releasing her. "Come on, already. Let's get this packing thing done."

Avery giggled girlishly before returning to packing up the movies. Somehow she knew that giving House something to look forward to would motivate him.

House limped back over to the closet, pulling various items out and setting them on the floor. He found both sets of his crutches, a slight smile crossing his face at the memory of finally being able to use the metal set after his motorcycle accident. It was a memory that was triumphant in nature instead of defeating.

He held one of the wooden crutches, smoothing over it with his hand, a flood of post-infarction memories washing over him. At the time, he had somehow known that his life would never be the same, despite the cheerful chirping of the physical therapist, Stacy, even Wilson.

They had all meant well, House knew, but in the end, it hadn't mattered. He still suffered, he was still in pain, and he had been unbelievably angry as a result. In his anger, he had pushed away everyone who had tried to help him, especially Stacy.

He still regretted that, although there was nothing he could do about that now. House couldn't help but wonder how different things would have been if he had just been able to let people in instead of pushing them away. He wouldn't have Avery now, that was for damn sure.

He sighed a little and set the crutch aside, moving on to find the golf clubs. For some inexplicable reason, he had held on to these, too, even though there was no way in hell he would make it back out to a golf course. He growled in frustration and set them on the floor with a hard thump.

Avery turned around at the noise, noting House's distinctive body language. He was clearly upset about something, and Avery was quite sure it had something to do with that closet. She resisted the urge to rush to him and immediately try to comfort him, knowing full and well that he would only snarl at her in response.

Finally he seemed to calm himself, and Avery dared to approach him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek into her back. "What's going on?"

House sighed heavily and placed one hand over hers. "Know anyone who'd be interested in a set of golf clubs?"

"Why not hold on to them?" Avery gently suggested. "You've made such great progress that you might be surprised at what you're capable of."

"That's what Stacy and Wilson said, too." House's voice was soft, almost on the verge of breaking. "And look how wrong they were."

"Baby, that was a long time ago." Avery argued. "Things are different now. I wouldn't encourage you to keep them if I didn't think you couldn't use them. How long has it been since you've tried to use them?"

House snorted. "I was playing golf when the infarction hit."

Avery's heart leapt into her throat. There was far more to this than she realized. "I didn't know."

"I didn't tell you." House answered. "Didn't seem relevant."

Avery kept turning over things in her mind. Finally she told House, "Something made you hang on to these things all these years. Why would you keep them if you never thought you were going to use them again?"

House was silent for the longest time, and Avery thought he wasn't going to answer her. "There was a time…when I thought I would get back out there. I was going to when I had the ketamine treatment, but…that didn't work out so well, either. I just kind of shoved them back there and left them. I guess you could say I kind of got…stuck. Couldn't get rid of them, but couldn't use them, either. Dumb."

"_Not_ dumb." Avery firmly told him, squeezing him around his waist. "Maybe you had a spark of hope for yourself even then, a spark that just wouldn't die."

House pondered this for a moment. He had to concede the point, to a certain extent. Finally he blew out a long sigh. "Maybe I'll keep the damn things. Never know when they'll come in handy." He turned his head briefly to Avery. "You ever play golf?"

"A couple of times." Avery laughed softly. "Never enough to get any good at it. Maybe with the right coach…"

House broke into a slight grin at the idea. "I'm open to that idea. If we do though, be warned…my game's going to be pretty damned rusty."

"I don't care." Avery answered. "We could have a good time together. Wouldn't it be nice to have some sort of shared activity?"

House grinned a little wider and turned around, waggling his eyebrows. "I can think of another shared activity…"

Avery couldn't help but laugh at the man. "You are a mess, baby. A straight-up mess."

"Mmm…love it when you go all _ghetto _on me." House leaned down to nip lightly at her neck. "Sure we can't just come back to all this tomorrow?"

"Positive." Avery answered. "If we keep putting this off, we'll never be ready for the movers in time."

"Fine." House sighed heavily and released Avery. "Get to packing, woman. I've got more on my to-do list than that tonight."

"Right." Avery shook her head and returned to packing, soon moving on to House's CD and LP collection. She was amazed by not only the sheer volume, but the variety of his music.

House met her over his music collection when he was done with the closet, telling countless stories about how he acquired most of his albums. It was obvious to Avery how many memories this apartment held for House. Everything here seemed to tell a story.

They finally finished packing up the music, and House looked around at all the boxes that held his life. The apartment was starting to look less like the place that had been his home for so many years and more like just another anonymous storage facility. He supposed that was as it should be, now that he was moving on.

Avery wrapped an arm around his waist, a concerned expression on her face. "Everything okay?"

House glanced down at her, responding in kind and planting a kiss on the top of her head. "It's getting there, babe. It's just weird to see it so…empty. It's almost like no one lived here at all."

They were silent for a long moment before House finally squeezed and released her. "Think I'll take a shower. Care to join me?"

"Mmm…maybe I'll meet you in the bedroom." Avery replied. "I still need to clean up from dinner."

"I'll help." House offered. "The sooner we get it done, the sooner you can help _me_ clean up. Then you can help me get all dirty again."

Avery laughed heartily at House's wicked grin. "I do like the way you think. Very efficient."

"That's kind of what I thought." House poked at Avery's rear with his cane as he followed her to the kitchen. "Now hurry up, woman. I don't have all night."

"Of course." Avery quickly turned around and grabbed the tip of House's cane, much to his howling mock protest. "Now quit fooling around so we can get this done."

"You're the one holding up progress." House huffed, even as he managed to retrieve his cane from Avery's grasp and lean it against one of the cabinets. "I'm all for getting this done."

They continued to tease each other as they did the dishes together, eventually ending with House splashing Avery with the rinse water. "Oh, will you look at that. Your shirt's all wet." He sighed in mock sadness. "Guess it'll have to come off."

"Patience, baby." Avery regarded him with amusement as she dropped a bowl in the rinse sink, splashing House's shirt as well. "Oh, look. Maybe you won't need that shower after all."

"Just as well." House smirked. "I'm just going to get dirty again anyway."

He placed the last dish in the drainer and immediately turned to Avery, who was wiping down the kitchen island. He easily trapped her between his body and the island, murmuring in her ear, "Ready to get out of that wet shirt yet?"

"Mmm…maybe…" Avery closed her eyes as House started a trail of kisses down her neck to her shoulder.

"Hmm…maybe I should start." House answered, unbuttoning his shirt and letting it drop to the floor before returning to move his hands under Avery's top. "Okay, your turn."

Avery raised her arms to allow House to strip the top off her body, pressing back against him, feeling the soft cotton of his t-shirt against her bare skin. "Hmm…you're running a little behind."

"Am I?" House questioned with a tone of mock innocence. "Let me fix that." He quickly removed his t-shirt and tossed it aside before wrapping his arms around Avery. "Better?"

"Much." She softly replied, enjoying the feel of House's rough chest hair against her back.

"Looks like you're the one running behind now." House whispered, reaching up to unfasten Avery's bra. It sprung open, and the soft flesh of her breasts spilled out into his hands. He took a moment to softly caress them before removing her bra and letting it drop to the floor between them.

He kissed her along her shoulder, his hands moving to the button of her jeans, quickly undoing both the button and the zipper before sliding them off her body. Even after all this time, her soft curves took his breath away. "You're definitely way hotter than any of those video chicks."

"Good to know." The way her voice caught in her throat just made House want her more. He hooked his thumbs over her thong and dragged it down over her hips, leaving her naked before him.

"Turn around." House's voice was ragged in Avery's ear, and she easily complied. His rough face wore an expression of pure lust, and she couldn't help but be carried along. She pulled him down to her for a long, passionate kiss, moving her hands down his body until they reached his belt buckle.

She continued to undo his jeans as his hands roamed over her, their lips and tongues tangling together in pure, unbridled want. Soon his jeans hit the floor, followed quickly by his boxers, and he carefully stepped out of them, still keeping his hold on Avery.

"Get up on the counter." He growled in her ear, and the sound sent a shiver of desire through Avery. She didn't even bother to ask what he had in mind. Whatever it was, she was going to go along with it.

She no sooner was seated on the island than House was spreading her legs apart, placing his hand directly over her core and caressing the delicate flesh with his fingers, teasing with his touch. Avery let out a soft moan and spread herself further, leaning back on her elbows to give House greater access to her.

He fixed her with a wicked grin, placing one hand at the small of her back while continuing to explore her with his fingers, kissing her anywhere he could reach. House guided her so that she was laying across the length of the island. He pushed two fingers inside her while rubbing her with his thumb, all the while kissing up her stomach until he could take a nipple in his mouth, rolling his tongue over it until Avery was nearly arching off the counter with pleasure.

"Baby, please…" She moaned, and House crashed his lips against hers, keeping up the finger action until she was on the edge before slowly pulling out of her. Her soft brown eyes flew open at the move, startled at first until she noticed him pulling himself up on the island to join her. "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like?" House leaned over her with a teasing expression. "I'm about to nail you to this counter." He pressed a long, hard kiss to her lips before whispering in her ear. "Better hang on."

She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he entered her, slowly at first, steadily increasing the pace until he was rocking against her, hitting her sweet spot over and over until she went over the edge with a soft cry, holding on to him even tighter.

He wasn't far behind, releasing with a loud groan as he kissed her hard again, his body shaking against her as he rode it out, finally collapsing on her with a sigh. "_Fuck_, babe. You're going to kill me one of these days."

"Well, if you've got to go…" Avery laughed softly, taking House's face in her hands.

"Then this is definitely how I want to go." House gently kissed her before pushing himself off her and carefully climbing down, wincing as he landed. "Jesus, whose idea was this?"

Avery laughed harder as she slid down. "Pretty sure that was you. Not my fault you were trying to act out one of your videos."

"I didn't hear you objecting." House shot back. "Enabler."

Avery wrapped her arms around House's neck, pressing her body against his for one more lingering kiss. "And aren't you glad?"

As Avery released him, picked up her clothes, and walked away, House couldn't help but feel just that. Actually, he was beyond glad, if there was such a thing. If this was how she enabled him…hell yes, he would happily take it, now and forever.

# # #

**All yours again, readers. Read and review.**


	68. Photographs and Memories

**No, I didn't abandon this one, really. Once again, I don't own anyone but the O/Cs.**

# # #

Saturday morning came far too early, and House found himself standing in the middle of a nearly empty apartment as movers came in and out, picking up box after box. He clutched a travel mug of coffee that Avery had been thoughtful enough to fix for him before she left to oversee the movers at her own apartment. House thought it would be pure madness when both sets of movers converged on the condo, and he was suddenly glad he stayed behind to wait for the piano movers.

He had to admire Avery's disciplined approach to this whole move. The woman had it down to a science. House supposed it was a skill she had honed during her multiple moves over the years. If it hadn't been for her and her gentle nagging, he never would have been ready in time.

Soon the apartment was empty save for the instruments. House wandered around from room to room, his footsteps echoing as he made one last tour through the place. It was hard to believe that ten years of living here had been reduced to a few boxes and a truckload of furniture. It was as if no one had lived here at all.

The only thing left was the clean up, and Wilson would be over soon enough to help him with that. He still had time before the piano movers showed up, so he limped over to the piano and eased himself onto the bench.

The notes echoed through the empty space, almost haunting, although the song was anything but. This place held so many memories for him that he couldn't begin to process them all. While the move was a good thing on many levels, leaving this place behind was proving to be a little more difficult than he had anticipated.

A tap on the open door revealed Wilson, who looked around the apartment with a wide-eyed look. "Looking kind of empty in here, House."

"Yeah, they took all my crap." House intoned, continuing to play. "Left me with the piano, though."

"That's good." Wilson chuckled as he set down the cleaning supplies. "I'll get started."

House rolled his eyes, but soon heaved himself off the bench and started halfheartedly sweeping up the living room. The piano movers showed up about halfway through the cleaning process, and House directed them, with explicit instructions on taking care of the piano and the guitars. Wilson could hear House all but threaten them with bodily harm if there was so much as a scratch on anything.

Wilson worked his way out to the living room, spotting House leaning heavily on his cane, a pensive expression on his face. He moved to stand next to him, folding his arms over his chest. "That's really everything, isn't it?"

"Yep." House blew out a long sigh. "Been a long time coming."

Wilson nodded. "Avery's a great woman, you know."

House smiled ever so slightly. "She'd have to be to put up with me."

"I'd hardly say she's just putting up with you." Wilson chuckled and shook his head. "That woman's crazy about you."

House's smile grew wider. "I know. Pretty damned cool." His face fell ever so slightly. "I never thought this would happen again for me."

Wilson shrugged. "You deserve it, and don't think for a minute that you _don't _deserve it."

House's face was unreadable as he thumped his cane on the wood floor. Finally he shook his head as if he were clearing his thoughts. "I think we're done here. Guess I'll meet you over at the condo."

Wilson smiled a little. It was clear House needed a few minutes to himself. "I'll see you there."

He closed the door behind him, and House took one last look around the empty apartment. There was so much history within these four walls that it seemed inconceivable that it had been simply packed into boxes and carted somewhere else. He was moving on, about to start creating new memories with the woman he loved, in a new place.

It did feel very much like a fresh start, one that he had desperately needed. A slow smile crept onto his face as he picked up his keys, travel mug, and cane. If he had left anything behind, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

He locked up the apartment and dropped off the keys in the landlord's drop box. As he left the building and climbed onto his bike, he took one last look at the building that had been his home for the better part of ten years.

It was long past time to leave this place behind. House slammed the helmet over his head and fired up the bike, pulling away from the curb and speeding down the street toward his new life with Avery. Suddenly, he couldn't get there fast enough.

# # #

House pulled into the driveway of the condo, taking note of the barely organized chaos out front. The piano movers had arrived, and Avery was attempting to guide them in the right direction, an uncharacteristically tense expression on her face.

He quickly dismounted and limped toward the front door. "I've got this handled, babe."

Avery shot him a skeptical look and headed back inside, presumably to start unpacking and rearranging things to suit her. House took over the task of directing the movers, finally getting the piano through the door and to the spot that House already had chosen for it.

House inspected the piano as the movers brought in the guitars and leaned them against the wall. One of the guys stumbled slightly, causing two of the cases to bang together. House gave him a hard scowl. "Careful, dammit. One of those is worth more than you make in a year."

He felt a pair of soft hands on his waist, and he turned to see Avery standing with him, an amused expression on her face. "Take it easy on him. He's just a kid."

"Right." House rolled his eyes and nodded at the young man as he nervously left. He turned to give Avery a quick kiss before limping over to open up the guitar cases, inspecting each one before taking them one by one into his room.

Avery had already moved several boxes of his things into this room, and after he carefully hung his guitars on the hangers Avery had put up a few days before, he started unpacking. Most of the boxes contained his medical journals and old textbooks, along with a few personal effects.

He opened the last box, startled to see a photo frame on top. It was a photo of he and Stacy, back from the paintball game where they had first met. He didn't remember keeping this, and he wondered where the hell it had come from.

"Hey, babe?!" House hollered.

Avery poked her head into the room. "What's going on?"

"Where did you find this?" House asked, holding up the picture.

Avery tilted her head and strode, in, taking a seat next to House on his couch. "I found it when I was taking down some of your books. It was sitting right on top."

House studied the picture, letting the memories of five years with Stacy wash over him. There had been good times with her, no question, and House had loved her as much as he was capable of loving anyone then. If it hadn't been for the infarction, who knows how much longer they would have lasted? Maybe a couple more years, maybe forever.

He felt Avery's arms wrap around his waist and her head land lightly on his shoulder. "You should keep it." She told him firmly.

"Don't you think that's a little odd, keeping a picture of an old girlfriend around?" House was considering getting rid of the thing. It was one more reminder of his failures that he didn't need.

"Stacy's not just an old girlfriend." Avery reminded him. "She was an important part of your life. No sense in just throwing it away."

House shook his head before turning to plant a kiss on top of Avery's head. "As much as I appreciate your mature attitude...I think I'd just as soon get rid of it. Stacy's a part of my past. You, on the other hand...you're my future."

He could see the tears forming in Avery's eyes, and he couldn't help but tease her, just a little. "Don't start the waterworks on me."

Avery blinked rapidly, brushing the few tears that had escaped away. "Hush, you. When you say sweet things like that...I can't help getting a little emotional."

"Stop, woman." House rolled his eyes, even as he was secretly pleased at her response. "You're ruining my rep."

"Good." Avery kissed House's cheek, his rough stubble scraping her lips. "Then you can make a new one. The sweet, kindhearted Doctor House, who always does his clinic duty without complaint, knowing he's doing his part for the common good..."

"Hush, woman." House growled, pushing her down on the couch and pinning her arms over her head. "Start spreading evil gossip like that and my rep will never recover."

Avery giggled girlishly as House pressed his lips to hers. He pulled back with a lopsided smile, the skin crinkling around his bright blue eyes. She loved it when he looked at her that way. It was a look she never saw him give anyone else.

She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs, giving him a gentle smile of her own. "Let me up, baby. I still have a ton of boxes to unpack."

"Fine." House huffed, but pushed himself back to a sitting position, picking up the picture frame he had set aside. "I think I'll go ahead and pitch the picture."

"Well, at least keep the frame." Avery told him. "It won't be long and we'll have our own picture to put in there."

"Good point." House agreed as he took the old picture out of the frame and handed the frame to Avery. "I'm sure you can find a good home for that. I'll be out as soon as I finish up in here."

"Sounds good to me." Avery answered. "Oh, a few people are stopping by later to help with the unpacking. I thought we could turn it into an informal housewarming thing."

"As long as we can kick them out early, I'm okay with that." House responded, narrowing his eyes at Avery. "Who all is invading?"

"Wilson, Kara, Cameron, and Chase for sure." Avery told him. "I did invite Foreman and Hadley, but they didn't confirm."

"Sounds like it'll be crowded enough without Foreteen." House rolled his eyes, even as he felt a small pang at Foreman's departure. His last day had been yesterday, and they had crowded into a nearby bar to say goodbye. It had almost felt like old times as Cameron and Chase told Taub and Thirteen stories of their cases and other events through the years. For House, it was almost as if his last child was leaving the nest. Schaffer, Thirteen, and Taub were still there, of course, but it wouldn't be the same without Foreman.

Avery reached out and smacked House lightly on the arm. "Don't be like that. Oh, I extended the same offer to Schaffer. Did you know she has a girlfriend?"

House smirked in response. "Why do you think I hired her?"

"You're a mess." Avery shook her head and laughed as she left the room. "I should have known."

"No shit." House hollered as she left. "It's like you don't even know me!"

Avery's laugh carried even after she left, and it brought a grin to House's face. He glanced down at the picture he still held in his hand. What he felt for Stacy was nothing compared to what he now felt for Avery, and he couldn't help but think that the years between then and now had given him a greater appreciation for the kind of love they shared. He'd taken an awful lot for granted back then, not knowing that he would go many years post-infarction without that kind of love. If he had known then...

No, there was no point in analyzing the past. Things had turned out for the better. It had just taken a long damned time to get there. House pulled out one of his medical textbooks and tucked the picture inside. Maybe holding on to this little piece of his past wouldn't be such a bad thing. Perhaps it could serve as a reminder not to take Avery for granted. Nothing wrong with that.

# # #

Morning turned into afternoon, and just as their energy was starting to flag, people started to show up to finish the unpacking. Wilson and Kara arrived first, diving into boxes with an energy that seemed to revive Avery.

House, for his part, was damn near worn out. He decided to go hide out in his room for a while, stretching out on his couch and closing his eyes. It had been a good day, for the most part, and the majority of the unpacking was done.

Just as he was starting to drift off, he heard more voices. Chase and Cameron had arrived, followed by two other somewhat unfamiliar voices. He finally recognized the first one as Schaffer. The other one must have been the girlfriend, and his curiosity won out over his desire for a nap.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but this slightly butch woman wasn't it. She draped an arm somewhat protectively around Schaffer, trying for relaxed and casual and failing. House limped over to where they were chatting with Avery and extended his hand. "You must be Schaffer's dykier half."

The woman looked a little stunned, and Schaffer simply rolled her eyes as Avery smacked him on the arm. "Cindy, this is my boss, House. Don't mind him. He enjoys trying to shock people." Schaffer fixed him with an amused look. "Nice place."

"Thank you." Avery interjected, placing a hand on House's arm. "We're nowhere near settled yet, as you can see, but it's getting there."

The small group split, and someone started some music as everyone jumped in to unpack. The conversation flowed easily as people moved from room to room, and even Schaffer and Cindy felt like they had been welcomed into the fold.

By late in the afternoon, empty boxes were scattered throughout the condo, and House officially declared the last box unpacked. A cheer went up among the group, and Avery immediately started taking pizza orders and placed the call for delivery.

Avery was suddenly struck with an idea. She found her digital camera and tracked down Wilson. "Would you take a picture of me and Greg out on the porch? We have a picture frame that needs filling."

Wilson's face lit up. "Of course. Where is he, anyway?"

Avery made her way to the kitchen, spotting House out on the deck. He was leaning on his cane, puffing on a cigar and chatting with Chase. She pushed open the sliding glass door and placed her arm around his waist.

"Hey, babe." House blew out a long plume of smoke before turning and kissing the top of Avery's head. "What's up?"

Avery wrinkled her nose before responding. "Wilson wants to take a couple of pictures. I thought we could put one in the frame you found earlier."

"You know how I feel about having my picture taken, but..." House stubbed out his cigar. "I kind of like your idea."

He left Chase with a nod and followed Avery out to the porch, where Wilson was fiddling with the camera. "You know what you're doing there, Boy Wonder?"

"I will in a minute." Wilson shot House a scathing look. "You two stand together right in front of the door."

They did as Wilson told them, initially with House standing behind Avery with his chin on her shoulder and a hand at her waist. Wilson shook his head in disapproval. "No, no. It looks like a floating head. Come out from behind her, House."

House rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. Now he stood next to Avery, leaning on his cane while she leaned against him, her arms wrapped around House. Wilson snapped one picture, nodding in approval. "Better. Why don't you two come sit on the steps?"

House sat on the steps, spreading his legs so that Avery sat between them, his arms under Avery's, crossed over her stomach. Wilson's face lit up in a smile. "I like that one. Hold it."

"You missed your calling, Wilson." House called out to him.

"Shut up and smile, House." Wilson grinned as he took the picture. "There. Perfect."

He handed the camera to Avery while House looked over her shoulder. House could hardly believe what he saw. He looked...happy. For that matter, so did Avery.

"Look at you, baby." Avery turned to smile at him. "You do take a nice picture."

"So do you, babe." House kissed her cheek. "You make me look good."

They decided on the one where they were both seated on the porch, and Avery quickly hopped up to make a copy of it for the picture frame, leaving House and Wilson alone on the porch.

"So." Wilson ventured. "You did it."

"Yep." House leaned back on his hands, his legs stretched out in front of him. "Nothing left now but the getting hitched part."

"You know, I can't remember whether I've said this before, but...I'm really happy for you, House." Wilson felt his emotions starting to get the better of him. "It's about goddamn time."

House nodded somberly, his own throat threatening to close up on him. "Still can't believe she's shacking up with me, never mind marrying me. The woman's crazy." He nodded behind Wilson. "Pizzas are here."

Wilson started taking pizzas inside as House paid. Just as Chase and Wilson were taking in the last of them, an unfamiliar car pulled into the driveway. House spotted two figures stepping out, and a slow smile crossed his rough face.

"You're late." He hollered to them. "The work's already done."

Foreman chuckled and shook his head. "Prior family commitment. Couldn't be avoided."

"Whatever." House rolled his eyes. "Pizza just showed up. Help yourselves."

Foreman and Thirteen entered the condo, and Avery immediately gave them the grand tour as House took a moment for himself out on the porch. He eased himself down on the steps and pulled out another cigar, clipping the end and lighting up, blowing out a long plume of smoke.

He could hear the group inside that comprised the closest things he had to friends, amazed that Avery had managed to bring them all together today. If he'd been doing this on his own, he suspected that it would have been him and Wilson and no one else. This was a hell of a lot better.

He took a couple more puffs off the cigar before butting it and tucking it back into his pocket. If he didn't hurry up and get in there, he had next to no chance of getting more than a couple of slices of the pizza.

After the pizza was consumed, and the conversation started to die down, Avery took a position near the door, a glass of red wine in her hand. "I'd like to say a few words, if you people don't mind."

There was some good natured teasing before silence fell over the group. Avery took a deep breath and gave the group a warm smile. "First of all, thanks for all your help today. I know a few of you helped us out with the painting, too, and as you can see...we did a beautiful job. Most of all, I want to welcome you all to mine and Greg's home. Thank you for being a part of it." She gestured to House as the group broke out in cheers and applause. "How about you, baby? Care to say a few words?"

House could feel the color creep over his face at Avery's endearment. He still wasn't used to her using it in public. He limped to where Avery stood, looping an arm around her shoulders. The room fell silent as House glanced around the room.

"First off...none of you would be here if it weren't for this woman right here." House impulsively kissed Avery's temple. "She changed my life, and that's no exaggeration. Thanks, babe."

He then used his cane to point to Wilson. "And if it weren't for that nagging pain in the ass insisting that I get a safe ride home on a rainy night...Avery wouldn't be here, and therefore none of you would be here, so on and so forth." He nodded toward Wilson. "He could have very easily kept her for himself, but he didn't, and for that...I'm forever grateful. So...thanks."

House cleared his throat, feeling himself getting a little overemotional. "Anyway...thanks for everything, and...we'll see you in December for the wedding."

He briefly squeezed Avery as the small group broke out into applause before starting to pull away. Avery immediately pulled him back. "Oh no, you don't. You're not getting away that easily."

"Dammit." House sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and dropped down for a quick kiss. "So...between the mortgage and the wedding, you're really stuck with me now, aren't you?"

"In the best way, baby." Avery laughed gently as she kissed him in return. "You really meant what you said up there?"

House nodded, a lump growing in his throat again. "Damn right. In the best way." He bent down to kiss her a little more deeply, much to the amusement of the group. "How long before we can kick everyone out? I want to try out that whirlpool tub."

"A couple more hours, and then we'll have the place to ourselves."

"Good." House murmured in her ear. "Because I want you in every single room. I don't care how long it takes."

"You've got it, baby." Avery answered softly.

House wrapped himself completely around Avery, still not quite sure this was really happening to him. He wasn't sure what he had done to deserve this, but he wasn't questioning a damn thing. For once, he was just going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

# # #

**Now it's your turn. Read and review.**


	69. While The Night Is Still Young

**Went way longer than I intended between updates. As usual, I don't own House.**

# # #

The evening finally wound down, and the small group drifted out into the night after the impromptu housewarming. House closed the door and turned out the porch light as Wilson and Kara left, immediately taking Avery into his arms.

"About goddamn time." He growled. "Figures those two would be the last to leave."

"I suppose I should be grateful you let them stay this long." Avery laughed gently as she wrapped her arms around House's neck.

"Damn right." House answered, starting a line of kisses down Avery's neck. "Now then...where should we start?"

"Well..." Avery murmured. "...you did say every room, right? No better place to start than right here."

"I couldn't agree more." House rumbled in her ear. He slid a hand under her t-shirt and placed it at the small of her back. "Down we go."

They eased themselves onto the floor of the living room, and House lay beside Avery, propped up on one elbow as he slid his hand around to her stomach, caressing the soft skin underneath as he leaned down to cover her mouth with his own.

Their tongues tangled as House continued moving up Avery's shirt, finding the soft flesh of her breasts and stroking lightly. Avery gasped softly when he brushed a thumb across her nipple, evoking a soft chuckle from House.

"Get rid of this damn thing already." House was tugging at her shirt. "It's in the way."

Avery quickly took off her shirt and tossed it aside, revealing a deep rose colored lace demi-bra. House traced a finger along the flesh that spilled over it, following it with a line of kisses. "If I'd known you were hiding that...I would have kicked all those people out way sooner."

"Good thing I didn't say anything, then." Avery laughed gently as she started to unbutton House's shirt. She pushed it off his shoulders, and House shook it off the rest of the way as Avery started moving her hands around under his t-shirt. "This should go, too."

"Don't have to tell me twice." House bent down so that Avery could remove his t-shirt, then dropped down to kiss her between her breasts, inhaling her delicious citrus scent while he worked the button and zipper on her jeans. "Let's see what you're hiding here."

Avery lifted her hips and wiggled out of her jeans, revealing a pair of bikinis that matched the bra. House let out a low whistle at the sight. "Woman, you are in deep shit now. I hope you know that."

"And why's that, baby?" Avery laughed.

"Because..." House growled. "You were wearing that...while all those people were taking over _our_ place...when you _knew _what I wanted to do to you."

Avery let out a girlish giggle. "A woman's got to have a few secrets, you know."

House pressed his lips to Avery's for a long, deep kiss, slipping his hand beneath her underwear and spreading the moist folds of skin with his fingers and caressing the tender nub of flesh.

He moved to slip a finger inside her, and Avery arched upward with a soft moan while House broke away from her mouth to work his way down, taking hold of one bra strap with his teeth and tugging it over her shoulder. She wriggled out of it, exposing the soft caramel-colored flesh, and House immediately captured her nipple in his mouth, nipping at it lightly before rolling his tongue over it, evoking a shaky gasp from Avery.

House shifted so that he lay on top of Avery, pulling his finger out of her and propping himself up on his elbows to look down at her. Avery wrinkled her brow in concern. "Everything okay, baby?"

"Yep." House slipped the other bra strap down, and Avery helped him along by undoing the back of her bra. The piece of lingerie was easily jettisoned, and House took both breasts in his hands, caressing them while running his thumbs over the nipples. "Much better now."

Avery murmured softly under him, her brown eyes fluttering closed as House kept moving downward, his hands following his mouth until he reached the waistline of her bikinis. "As good as these look on you...they've got to go, too."

Avery reached down to stroke House's head. "Do what you have to do."

House moved so that he was on his knees, peeling Avery's underwear off her body and down her smooth, strong legs. She hooked them over his shoulders, and he started a line of kisses at the inside of her knee, slowly and tenderly moving closer to her moist center, his eyes never leaving her face.

He reached down between her legs and started stroking her again, the flesh swelling under his fingers as Avery's desire became more obvious. She moaned a little more, squirming under him as his lips reached her center, and House dragged his tongue along the sensitive nub while he inserted two fingers inside her.

Avery drew in a sharp breath at the move, spreading herself before House as he continued to work over her with tongue and fingers. It was a familiar move, but it never failed to bring her intense pleasure, and House knew exactly how far to push her to make her almost come.

He suddenly pulled out of her, and Avery reacted with a soft whimper. "No fair, baby."

"Shouldn't have held out on me." House answered with a teasing voice.

"Now that's just plain evil." Avery replied, a devious expression taking over her soft features. Before House knew it, he was on his back, Avery straddling him. "I should get you for that."

"You going to punish me?"

"Depends on your point of view." Avery smiled at him as she unbuckled his belt and unfastened his jeans. House shifted enough to allow Avery to slide his jeans and boxers off him, and she was soon rubbing his legs with her smooth hands, her thumbs pressing lightly into his inner thighs. House let out a soft groan.

"Damn, babe." He murmured. "I don't know if I can take your kind of punishment."

"Oh, believe me, I'm just getting started." Avery bent over House, taking his shaft in her hand and stroking him, bringing him to full hardness before closing her mouth over him.

House closed his eyes and roughly stroked Avery's head, losing himself in the intense pleasure she was giving him. Her tongue and lips danced over his length, her other hand caressing him as far as she could reach, and he could feel the tension building as she brought him closer and closer to the finish.

Suddenly, as he had done to her, Avery let his shaft slide out of his mouth, and House reacted with a loud groan. "Fuck, woman. You can't do that to a guy."

Avery laughed as she moved to straddle him. "See how it feels?" She bent over him for a soft kiss. "Now then...if you promise to be good...I might do a little more for you."

"I promise." House answered roughly. "Now quit torturing me, woman."

Avery guided House inside her, and he placed his hands firmly on her hips while he pumped into her, watching her breasts bounce from the action. He could feel her come, and the contractions finished him off not much later.

He pulled her down to him as he rode out the intense orgasm, finally relaxing his grip on her with a loud sigh. "Now that's _my_ kind of housewarming."

"Mm-hm." Avery sounded as satisfied as House felt, and they just lay there for a few minutes, neither one of them wanting to move.

House kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "So...how many rooms do we have here?"

Avery lifted her head, clearly doing the math in her head. "Let's see...three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room. I think that's eight rooms in all."

House grinned and placed a finger under her chin. "Living room's off the list. Only seven rooms to go." He planted a light kiss to Avery's lips. "I'm thinking our bathroom should be next. You know I've been wanting to try out that tub."

Avery giggled. "What, right now?"

"Why not?" House asked innocently. "Not like you have to go home or anything."

"This is true." Avery dropped one more kiss on House's lips before pushing herself to her feet. "I think I'll pour a glass of wine and meet you in there...if you're ready, that is."

House propped himself on his elbows to watch her go, admiring the soft curves of her naked body. "I was born ready, babe. And I'll take a Coke."

He could hear her soft laughter as he carefully pushed himself off the floor. All the activity of the day had left him a little sore, and he wanted to try out the whirlpool tub for more reasons than one. If he hustled, he could probably have the tub up and running before Avery arrived with their drinks.

# # #

House was settled in the warm, swirling bath water when Avery showed up with her wine and his Coke. She flashed him a quick smile as she handed him both the open can and her wine glass.

"How is it?"

"Almost perfect." He answered. "Just need a hot woman to make it complete."

"Hmm...I don't know of any around here. Will I do?"

"Duh." House rolled his eyes, even as he grinned. "Who else would I be talking about?"

Avery carefully stepped into the tub, settling herself against House's chest while taking the wine glass he held out. "Mmm...this feels wonderful."

"Sure does." House wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. "Maybe we'll hold off on breaking this one in. I'm kind of liking just hanging out in here."

They settled in, chatting easily with each other and enjoying their drinks, occasionally touching and kissing each other. It was an easy intimacy that House couldn't get enough of anymore, and a reminder that not all intimacy had to be sexual. Just being here with Avery felt like enough right now.

He drained the remains of his Coke and set the can on the edge of the tub. The warmth of the water seeped into him, making him sleepy and relaxing his sore muscles. Even his leg seemed to relax, the pain easing to a dull, manageable throb.

Finally he planted a kiss on top of Avery's head. "We're going to be even more wrinkly than usual if we don't get out of this damn thing."

Avery leaned forward with a groan, shutting off the jets and draining the tub before climbing out. She wrapped a towel around herself and handed one to House. "Need a hand out of there?"

"Nope." House carefully stepped out, wrapping the offered towel around his waist and limping forward to take Avery in his arms. "Good of you to offer, though."

"Of course." She answered softly, wrapping her arms around his waist. "It's what I'm here for."

"You're here for way more than that, woman." House murmured. "Wouldn't have asked you to be my ball and chain otherwise."

He leaned down for a long, slow kiss, pulling Avery closer and slipping his tongue into her mouth, letting his hands drift down to cup her rear.

He broke the kiss, looking down at her. "You know...I might be up for checking one bedroom off the list."

A slow smile took over Avery's face. "No harm in finding out, is there? Not like you have to go home anytime soon."

House nudged Avery forward, guiding her out the bathroom door and onto their bed, peeling the towel off her body and kissing her again. He placed one hand on the inside of her thigh and caressed her lightly, evoking a series of soft moans from her.

He slid his hand upward until he found her moist center, gently stroking the tender flesh, and he could hear the breath catch in Avery's throat.

Suddenly he felt a hand on him, and his eyes flew open to see Avery stroking him, an amused expression on her face. It was a pleasant surprise, and he soon hardened in her hand. He stilled her movements with one hand. "Whoa, there. Don't want to bust a nut yet."

Avery laughed softly and released him. "Just giving you a...hand. No pun intended."

House groaned a little. "Good thing. That was bad." He lightly kissed the side of her neck before moving so that he was between her legs, teasing her with the tip, watching as she squirmed and sighed under him.

Just as it seemed she was going to come undone, he guided himself inside her, losing himself in the warmth of her depths as he plunged into her, slowly at first, then picking up speed. Avery wrapped her legs around his waist, meeting him stroke for stroke until they both went over the edge, their soft moans the only sound in the room.

House sighed heavily as he lay against Avery, pressing a kiss into her softly scented neck. "Two down, six to go."

"Noted and filed, baby." Avery caressed House's back, finally patting it lightly. "Let me up."

House reluctantly pushed himself off her and limped off in search of sleep pants and an old t-shirt before climbing into bed and pulling the covers over him.

Avery soon joined him in bed, clad in a soft cotton nightshirt that hit her just above mid-thigh. She curled herself around him, one leg thrown over House's and an arm wrapped around his waist. House responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in as close as he could.

It was a position that had become so familiar that House almost couldn't remember a time when they hadn't slept just like this. The reality that they were finally doing it in _their_ bed, in _their_ place sank in for House, and he suddenly found himself overwhelmed by some unnamed emotion.

He pressed a firm kiss to the top of Avery's head and gave her a quick squeeze. "We did it, babe. We're really here."

"Sure did." Avery answered sleepily. "We make a pretty good team when we put our minds to it."

House felt a lump rise up in his throat at her words. He'd flown solo for so long that he had completely forgotten what it was like to have a partner in life. That was finally changing, and now that they were in their own place, he hoped to figure that part out pretty quickly. Thanks to Avery, he had a pretty good idea of how to go about it. "Not just a pretty good team, a _great_ team." He kissed her again and wrapped both his arms around her. "Thanks for sticking with me. I haven't always been the best teammate."

Avery snuggled against him. "I've had worse, and you know that. Besides...you're learning. It's more than I can say for He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named."

House couldn't help but chuckle a little. It was a good sign that Avery could joke a little about Bryan now. "I think I can do better than that."

"I know you can, too." Avery answered. "You already do. Now go to sleep. We've got a couple more rooms to...break in, as you so delicately put it."

House smirked to himself as Avery fell asleep against him. He didn't quite know whether to be thrilled or scared that Avery wanted to keep checking rooms off their list. Either way, he was perfectly happy to go with it. There was no way it would end badly.

# # #

**Do your thing, readers. Read and review.**


	70. Motherless Child

**Yes, two updates in one week! As usual, I don't own the hot guy in the tub.**

# # #

House awakened to the sound of his cell phone chiming. It was still dark, and House was completely disoriented as he fumbled around for the device, finally finding it and flipping it open.

"House."

"Gregory House?" The female voice was tentative on the other end.

"Yes." He sat up, the cobwebs clearing as he reached over to turn on the bedside lamp. "Who is this?"

"What's going on, baby?" Avery murmured and stirred slightly.

House waved distractedly at Avery, waiting for a response from the woman on the other end. "Hello?" He growled into the phone. "Who is this?"

"Sorry." The soft voice answered. "This is Miriam Davis. I'm your mother's neighbor."

House froze. A stranger calling him in the middle of the night couldn't be good news. "What's going on?"

"it's about your mother." Miriam ventured. "She...the doctors think...she had a heart attack tonight."

"And..." House knew there was more. He just wished the woman would spit it out already.

"She's dead, dear." Miriam blurted out. "I'm so terribly sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I...hold on. I think the doctor wants to talk to you."

House was numb, trying to process the words that were traveling into his ear. There was no way he was hearing this correctly. He had just spoken to his mother two, maybe three weeks ago, when he and Avery had stayed at that bed and breakfast. She was supposed to come see him finally married off. This was just...wrong.

"Doctor House?" A deep male voice took over the call now. "This is Doctor Phelps. I attended to your mother."

The other doctor started rattling off the details. Myocardial infarction. Fatal. Two, maybe three hours before her neighbor found her.

Miriam took the call back over, rattling off some meaningless platitudes, and House found himself agreeing to make the necessary arrangements before snapping his phone closed.

"Baby?" Avery was awake now, shifting as she sat up. House jumped when her hand landed on his shoulder. "What happened?"

House was silent for a long moment, turning his phone over and over in his hand. "My mom's dead." He spoke quietly, still having trouble believing the words as he said them.

"My God." Avery breathed, moving closer.

"Yeah." House's throat was getting tight, and he clutched his phone, shaking from the effort it took to hold himself together. "Heart attack. Neighbor found her, but she was already..."

Avery shifted to her knees, wrapping her arms around House. He placed a hand over one of Avery's, turning slightly so that his scruffy cheek pressed against Avery's soft one, breathing in her scent and letting her hold him.

"My mom's _dead_." House's voice sounded ragged to his own ears as he turned toward Avery, sliding his hands around her waist and pulling her in.

"I know, baby. I know." Avery's voice was soft in House's ear.

House pressed a kiss to Avery's forehead, pushing her back down on the bed. His world had been suddenly turned upside down, and his emotions were overwhelming him.

"What are you doing?" Avery asked him softly.

House leaned over Avery, brushing her hair out of her eyes, staring down at her. "I don't know. I don't fucking know." He leaned down to kiss her along her neck. "I'm supposed to make her arrangements. How the hell am I supposed to do that? I shouldn't have to do this...I _can't_ do this..."

"Ssh..." Avery wrapped her arms around him, stroking the back of his head. "You don't have to do it tonight. We'll get a little sleep, and we'll start working on it in the morning, okay?"

House nodded furiously, fighting the hot tears that pricked behind his eyelids. He buried his head in Avery's shoulder with a hard sigh, his thoughts churning in his head. Avery was right, and he knew it. There was nothing he could do tonight.

It didn't change the fact that his mother was gone. He felt an odd sense of abandonment at the thought. He wrapped himself tighter around Avery as if she were an lifebuoy in the ocean. There was no way he was going to get back to sleep tonight, but at least he had Avery to hold on to. He couldn't imagine having to deal with this by himself.

House heard Avery fall asleep again, and her hold on him relaxed somewhat. He briefly considered moving to his room to crash on his couch, but he didn't want to be alone. Instead he forced his eyes closed, hoping against hope that he could manage a couple hours of sleep. He had a feeling he was going to need it to deal with whatever came next.

# # #

Avery awoke when the bright light shone across the bed, briefly disorienting her until she remembered where she was.

They had done it. She and House had finally moved into _their _place, and had spent the first night in _their _bed. Avery rolled over to curl up against House, only to find a cold and empty space.

It was only then that she remembered the late night phone call House had received. Something about his mother...

The realization hit Avery, and she quickly rolled out of bed and found her robe, padding through the condo in search of House. He wasn't in the living room, and he wasn't in the kitchen, although Avery could smell fresh coffee. Apparently he hadn't been out of bed that long.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and wandered to his room only to find that empty as well. There was a rumpled blanket tossed haphazardly across the couch. Evidently House had tried to sleep out here and failed.

Avery sighed, her mind coming up with a thousand scenarios while trying not to worry too much. If he needed some time away to process things, it was better to let him have it rather than chase after him.

An hour or so later, Avery heard House pull his bike into the attached garage, and he entered with a loud bang as he slammed the door behind him. Avery immediately pushed herself off the couch to meet him in the kitchen.

He stood like a statue, his helmet in his hand, his rough gray hair sticking up in all directions. An expression that seemed to mix pain, shock, and something Avery couldn't quite define crossed his rough features.

Avery set her coffee cup on the counter and slowly moved toward him, sliding her arms around his waist and setting her head on House's chest. He was shaking, his leather jacket cool against her cheek, and his hands were like ice as he slowly placed them on her back.

"You're freezing." She told him softly.

"It's kind of chilly this morning." House's voice was rough. "Forgot my gloves."

Avery simply wrapped herself tighter around House, rubbing his back with one hand. After a few minutes, House let out a ragged sigh. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do." He spoke softly. "I've never had to make funeral arrangements before."

"We'll figure it out, baby." Avery told him.

"I don't even know what she wanted." House seemed to choke on his words. "_Fuck._ This is just so..._wrong_."

Avery squeezed him and pulled back. "Come on."

She led him out to the living room, where House took off his jacket and toed off his shoes. Avery sat on the couch and patted her lap. "Lay down."

House eased himself onto the couch with a grunt. Obviously the ride had made his pain flare up, and Avery wondered if they'd be better off in the whirlpool tub. As he settled his head in her lap and curled his arm around her waist, staring up at the ceiling, Avery decided that he would be fine as he was. The tub would make a good option later if House needed it.

House's phone started chiming, and he shifted around to pull it out of his pocket to answer. "House." He seemed to listen to whatever the person on the other end was telling him, and he suddenly pushed himself out of Avery's lap, searching for something.

Avery gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "What do you need?" She mouthed.

"Pen and paper." He hissed back. To his caller he snapped, "Hold on. I need to write this down."

Avery quickly found a notepad and a pen in her desk drawer and handed it to House. He acknowledged it with a nod and continued with his phone call. "Right...okay...Tuesday afternoon. Yeah...I'll be there. Thanks."

He snapped his phone closed with a rough sigh, rubbing his hand over his face before resting his chin in his hand. "Guess I'll have to ask the Devil Woman for a few days off."

Avery wrapped her arms around House's waist and rested her cheek against his shoulder. "I could handle that part if you want me too. Sounds like I need a few days off myself."

House turned his head, a baffled look crossing his face. "Why would you do that?"

She tilted her chin up to softly kiss him. "I seem to remember someone doing that for me not so long ago. It seems like a good time to repay the favor."

A slight smile crossed House's tired face as he pulled Avery close to him. "I'm really glad you're here. I don't think I could have handled this alone."

"Good thing you don't have to." Avery murmured into his chest.

"Yeah." House huffed softly, setting his chin on Avery's shoulder. "Think I could use a soak in the tub. Care to join me?"

"Are you sure?" Avery pulled back, concerned.

House shrugged sadly. "There's nothing I can do right now. Doesn't change anything." He gave Avery a soft kiss on her lips. "Might as well, you know...stick with our original plans."

Avery gave him a questioning look. "And what was that?"

House smiled a little, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Keep going with our private housewarming. Still have six rooms on the list."

"Tell you what." Avery told him. "Why don't we have a nice long soak and..."

"...we'll talk about the first thing that comes up." A teasing expression had found its way onto House's face.

"You are a hot mess." Avery laughed as she rose, helping pull House to his feet.

"I know." House looked down at her, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Especially right now."

Avery resisted the urge to tell House that everything would be okay. It wouldn't be okay for him, not for a long time. If she could bring him some measure of comfort in his time of need, then nothing else mattered right then.

# # #

Avery fixed two cups of coffee and brought them into the bathroom, where House was already in the tub, arms spread out over the ledge, head tilted back, eyes closed. She quickly undressed and eased into the other end, leaning over House to brush a kiss to his lips.

His eyes flew open, and a slight grin flashed over his rough features. "Thought you'd sneak in on me, did you?"

"It was worth a shot." Avery answered. "I brought coffee."

"As good as that sounds..." House pulled Avery to him, his hands spreading over her back. "I think I'd rather have a coffee-colored woman right now."

"I thought I was caramel." Avery teased him. "That's what you told me our first night together."

"Did I?" House murmured, kissing her neck. "You might have to remind me. That was a long damned time ago."

He worked down her neck, his lips and tongue finding the spot between her collarbones. "Mmm...you're right. Definitely caramel...all sweet...and sticky...and delicious." He shifted so that he could sit up, taking her full breasts in his hands and lightly stroking the nipples before bending over to kiss them all over. "I think it's all coming back to me."

"Is it?" Avery murmured, losing herself in House's rough touch as he moved over her ribcage.

"Mm-hm." House shifted slightly, guiding Avery to rest against the opposite end of the tub. He soon followed, his hands moving downward over her thighs as he leaned in for a long, deep kiss. "You wiped off that pizza sauce, and..."

"...you licked it off." Avery finished for him, feeling House's hardness press against her.

House grinned wickedly. "I've never looked at pizza sauce the same way again."

Avery laughed softly, spreading herself before House as he shifted, attempting to enter her.

"Hmm..." He frowned. "I don't think this is going to work."

"It'll work." Avery shifted, gently pushing House back to his previous resting place and straddling him, guiding House inside her.

House let out a soft groan and wrapped his hands around Avery's waist as she started moving up and down on him. "Much...better...babe."

Avery didn't answer as House moved his hands to her back and pulled her in, matching her stroke for stroke, finally releasing with a rough groan and relaxing his hold on her.

He sighed heavily and stroked Avery's back as she rested against him, and she thought she heard a choking sound.

She lifted her head to see House squeezing his eyes shut, fighting the emotion that was so obviously taking him over. Avery placed a hand on his cheek, and his eyes flew open.

"Sorry." He spoke roughly.

"For what, baby?" Avery asked, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

"For...this." House gestured at his own face. "I hate breaking down in front of you."

A lump grew in Avery's throat as she kissed him. "If anyone has a reason to break down, it's you. It doesn't make you any less of a man. If anything...it makes you _more_ of a man to me."

House drew in a ragged breath as he took Avery's face in his large hands. "I love you." He told her fiercely, crashing his lips into hers for a long, deep, emotional kiss. He seemed to channel all his emotion into that one kiss, and if Avery had been standing, she was sure she would have collapsed from its intensity.

He finally broke it off, staring into her eyes, caressing her cheek with his open palm. "You know you're marrying an orphan now, right?"

"I'm marrying _you_." Avery answered softly. "It's going to be you and me and our matched set of emotional baggage. You're stuck with me."

A half-smile crept onto House's face. "I'm dragging at least a ten-piece set with me."

"It doesn't matter, baby." Avery told him. "You don't have to drag it around by yourself."

House sighed and pulled Avery so that she rested against his chest. She could hear his strong, steady heartbeat and feel the rise and fall of his breath. They might not be married yet, but she already knew that she was going to stick with this man, through thick and thin, in good times and bad, for as long as she possibly could. Avery couldn't imagine things any other way.

# # #

**You know the routine. Read and review. **


	71. Time Marches On

**Back again with all the usual disclaimers. I don't own anything related to House, just Avery.**

# # #

Avery and House drove in silence to the hospital the following morning, the pounding of the rain and the slapping of the windshield wipers the only sound. It seemed oddly appropriate, given the nature of both their moods. House had been up and down all night, unable to stay in one place for long before his thoughts and emotions would get the better of him. He moved from the bedroom to his own room, ostensibly to keep from disturbing Avery. In reality, he didn't want to break down in front of her any more than he already had.

He felt comfortable and safe with Avery in many respects, but this was one hurdle he had yet to overcome in that area. Emotional expression came hard to House, his father's voice echoing in his head every time his tears came too close to spilling over, even now. House wondered how his father would have reacted to his mother's death, if he were still here. Somehow he doubted the man would have shown what he was feeling. House was sure that John House was a hard man before the Marines got a hold of him and finished the job. It was yet one more way House hadn't followed in his footsteps. House wasn't sure if he was grateful for that or not.

The slight squeak of Avery's brakes brought him to attention, and he found himself at the front entrance of Princeton-Plainsboro. Avery had already promised to handle arrangements with Cuddy, leaving House free to have some semblance of a normal day, as normal as his days got, anyway. He hoped against hope that his team had already found a sufficiently distracting patient when he got there. The day was going to be impossible to get through otherwise.

He started to climb out of the car when a hand stopped him. "No kiss today?" Avery was regarding him with a slight smile on her tired face.

House warmed a little inside despite the chilly weather, turning back to Avery and cupping her cheek, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. "Sorry. Guess I'm a little distracted."

"I know." Avery answered softly. "All the more reason for a little extra love."

House couldn't help but smile a little as he kissed Avery one more time before carefully climbing out of the car and making his way toward the entrance. He crossed the lobby and was waiting for an elevator when a familiar shadow suddenly showed up next to him. "Morning, Wilson."

"House." Wilson studied his friend's face. "You're looking rough. Wild weekend for you two?"

House sighed heavily as they entered the elevator and the doors closed. "My mom died."

"What?" Wilson's eyebrows shot up in shock. "When?"

"Late Saturday night. Got the call around four in the morning on Sunday." House suddenly felt overwhelmed again. "Haven't slept right since."

"Damn." Wilson frowned in concern. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Not this time." House answered as they exited on their floor and scanned in their badges. "Avery's making the arrangements for the time off, and we're going down to make the funeral arrangements tomorrow." He felt his shoulders slump at the thought. "God, Wilson. Now my mom's dead."

"I know." Wilson dared to reach out and squeeze his friend's shoulder. "If you need anything...don't hesitate. Tell Avery that, too."

House nodded. He knew, too, that he shouldn't expect Avery to be his sole emotional support. "You can buy me lunch later. I should still be around."

Wilson allowed a brief smile at that. "Whatever helps, House. See you later."

The two men separated, and House slowly limped down to his office. He could spot his team, already poring over a case file.

He hung up his coat and dumped his backpack in the Eames chair before pushing through the door to the conference room. Three heads turned as one as House eased into a chair at the head of the table and started flipping through the case file.

The room was silent, and House lifted his head to glance around the room. He let out a long sigh, knowing the word would get out before too long. Better to put it all out there now.

"No, I'm not okay. Thanks for not asking." He intoned. "My mother died, I'm leaving tomorrow to plan her funeral, and I won't be back for the rest of the week. Any more questions?"

A series of murmurs and mumbles went through the room in reply, and House nodded firmly in approval. "Good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's focus on a life we can actually save. Patient presents with esophageal bleeding, skin lesions, and...ooh, _blinding _headaches. Go."

Soon the team was off and running, kicking around ideas, and House was soon lost in his work. If he wanted a sufficient distraction from his personal crisis, it certainly appeared that he had one. It would work for the time being.

# # #

Avery took a deep breath before knocking softly on Cuddy's door. The warm voice on the other side of the door called for her to enter, and Avery did so with a bit of trepidation.

"Good morning, Matthews." Cuddy greeted her with her trademark wide smile. "Something I can do for you?"

"Not just for me, but for House as well."

Cuddy sighed slightly and leaned back in her chair. "What has he done now?"

"What?" Avery was startled, but then quickly assured Cuddy. "Oh no, nothing like that. It's just...his mother died over the weekend, and we both need a few days off to go down and make her arrangements."

Cuddy's expression changed to something more sympathetic before finding the necessary forms. "Fill these forms out and bring them back to me. Please tell House that I'm sorry for his loss."

Avery nodded as she took the forms. "I will and...thank you. You've been incredibly understanding with us."

Cuddy smiled slightly and leaned on her desk. "You've been through a good deal this year. I hope things settle down for you and House soon. Seems like you both need a break." She tilted her head questioningly. "The wedding _is_ still on, right?"

"As far as I know." Avery laughed slightly, grateful for the distraction.

"Good. Don't tell House, but...I might be bringing a guest."

"Really?" Avery arched an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"Well...you remember the Texas Hold 'Em fundraiser we had a few months ago?" Avery nodded, encouraging Cuddy to continue. "I met a gentleman there, a major benefactor. We didn't get together then, but we chatted some. I ran into him again at another fundraising function about a month ago. We danced, chatted some more, and he asked me out that night. Been seeing him ever since."

"That's fantastic." Avery smiled warmly. "I can't wait to meet him."

The two women chatted for a short while about other wedding related topics, segueing into conversation about Cameron and her pregnancy, and about Avery and House's plans to apply to become foster parents.

"I think it's a wonderful idea." Cuddy told her. "That's how I initially came to have Rachel. You know that Taub and his wife are doing the same thing."

"I know. That's where House came up with the idea."

Cuddy looked thoughtful. "You know, House has always had a special connection with kids. I can't explain it, but he just...gets them, somehow. He'll be a good parental figure, especially now."

"Why now?" Avery was curious. She had known that House had a less than ideal childhood, but didn't know much about his adulthood.

Cuddy pressed her lips together. "The man was a miserable wreck for a long time, Matthews. Something in him just..._died_ after the infarction and after Stacy left. I thought he was going to be that way forever." She flicked her eyes up to meet Avery's. "I'm so glad Wilson introduced you two. You've made him human."

"I can't take all the credit for that, Cuddy." Avery told her firmly. "A person has to _want_ to change first."

"Well...he went through a lot, you know, before you came along, but...you've been a positive influence." Cuddy smiled again, almost conspiratorially. "I know I'm grateful for it."

Avery laughed a little to herself as she left Cuddy's office and boarded the elevator for the trip to her own office. It was always interesting to talk to people who knew House before she came to Princeton. To listen to other people talk, it was almost as if House was the beast in the old fairy tale, and Avery was the magical beauty that had made him human again.

Avery knew that their life, while good in many ways, was no fairy tale. The events of the last year had proven that. Somehow they had managed to pull together and make it through, and Avery thought they were both stronger people for it. House wasn't the only one who had changed over the course of their relationship.

When Avery had come to Princeton, she had no intention of finding anyone. She had decided that she would settle into her new position, perhaps make a few friends, and enjoy her life as a single woman. House had changed that in a big way. He wasn't smooth, wasn't slick, but he was _real_. She loved that about him, ever since those first rainy rides home, and it was what kept her with him.

The elevator opened one floor before hers, and a gurney came flying on, followed by a chorus of voices raised in animated discussion. Avery barely suppressed a giggle at the goings on. Apparently House had a new patient, and Avery was grateful for it. It probably meant that House was absorbed in the case and not brooding in his office. That was a good thing, Avery figured. He would have enough to think about in the coming days. Anything that would keep him distracted could only help him right now.

When the elevator arrived at her floor, she squeezed past House's team and their patient and scanned in her badge before turning toward House's office. House was in the conference room, tapping the marker against his mouth and leaning heavily on his cane, staring at the whiteboard that was already filling with symptoms.

"Looks like you have a busy day." Avery commented as she entered the conference room.

House turned from his whiteboard and took a sip from his red coffee mug. "Yep. Fucking figures. Of all weeks to get a particularly interesting case..." He let out a rough sigh before draining the remains of his mug. "Anyway. What have you got there?"

"Leave of absence form." Avery handed the form to House. "Fill it out and I'll drop them both off to Cuddy on my way to lunch."

"You doing lunch with Cameron?"

"Probably." Avery tilted her head at House. "Would you rather I not mention your mother?"

"She probably already knows." House shrugged. "I told Wilson and the team this morning. I'm sure word is getting out by now. I suppose you'll be talking more wedding crap?"

"And baby stuff." Avery told him as she wrapped an arm around his waist. "Among other girl stuff."

House wrinkled his nose in response. "Sounds...not fun at all. Glad I've got Wilson to hang with."

Avery pressed a kiss to House's rough cheek, and House's expression softened into a slight smile. "Aw...thanks, babe."

"Of course."

"I mean it." House propped his cane against the table and looped his arm around Avery's shoulders. "I don't think I would have made it through this weekend without you. You were more help than you know."

Avery was ready to respond when Taub burst into the conference room. "New symptom. Her blood pressure's 190 over 100 and climbing."

House's lips curved into a smile, and Avery could see a bit of the spark return to his eyes. "Interesting..." He immediately turned to scribble the symptom on the whiteboard. "Where's Lesbo and Thirteen?"

"Schaffer's stabilizing the patient, and Thirteen's running some tests." Taub turned his attention to Avery. "Sorry, Matthews. Didn't mean to interrupt your...consult."

"It's fine, Taub." Avery nodded to the shorter man, rubbing House's arm. "I was just leaving." To House she whispered, "Don't forget about the form."

"Got it, babe." House waved her away in favor of the mystery that was unfolding before him.

Avery left the conference room and made her way to her office. House would be okay, at least for now. Anything else could be dealt with later on, and Avery was sure there would be plenty to deal with. They would get through it like they had everything else, together.

# # #

The day went much faster than House had anticipated, and while the patient was stable, he and his team weren't much closer to solving her mystery. Unfortunately, House and Avery had to get ready to leave town the next morning if they had any hope of reaching his mother's place in Virginia by Tuesday afternoon.

Wilson had offered to help consult with the team as needed, and Cameron had offered her help as well. House was grateful to both of them. It was one less thing to occupy his mind so that he could focus on what lay ahead.

He wrapped up his end of things, shutting down his computer and grabbing his coat and backpack on his way out, striding down the hall to tap his cane on Avery's office door.

"It's open, baby." She called out.

House smiled a little at the endearment. Even after all this time, it still warmed him. He hadn't been so thrilled about it at first, but it had grown on him, and he couldn't imagine Avery calling him anything else now.

He swung open the door just as Avery was gathering her briefcase, purse, and coat. "You about ready?"

"Yes." Avery tucked a note inside one of her files. "I just need to drop this off on the cardiology floor. I'll bring the car around to the lobby."

They rode in silence until they reached the floor that housed cardiology. Avery gave him a brief kiss and exited, leaving House alone with his thoughts. The distraction that the case provided him all day faded away, leaving House no choice but to think about what was to come.

His mother's neighbor had been invaluable, getting into his mother's house to come up with the information necessary to make her final arrangements. It was still strange to House to think of that. He couldn't help but think that if his mother's neighbor had been so on the ball then as she was now, his mother might still be alive.

It was a useless thought, House knew, but it wouldn't stop rattling around in his head. He sighed heavily as he exited the elevator and crossed the lobby to wait for Avery. The child in House railed against the unfairness of it all, and the adult in House couldn't help but agree. He and his mother had just started to rebuild their relationship, and she had been so thrilled that he was finally getting married. Hell, she even got along with Avery. No, not merely gotten along. His mother had genuinely liked Avery, calling to chat with her almost as often as she did with House.

And now...she was gone, and House felt cut adrift. The emotion that he had shoved aside all day while he was working away on his case threatened to bubble up again, and he closed his eyes in an attempt to keep it from spilling over.

"House?" _Fuck. Not now, Cuddy._

"Yeah." House opened his eyes, managing to keep his composure as he turned to look down at his boss. "Avery got those forms back to you, right?"

"Yes, she did." She placed a hand on his upper arm. "I'm...sorry for your loss, House."

"Yeah, thanks." House nearly choked on the lump that suddenly formed in his throat. A set of headlights flashed as Avery pulled up in her Subaru, and House gestured through the glass with a nod. "My ride's here. See you in a few days."

"Take all the time you need." Cuddy told him. "Just call when you get back and keep me posted."

House nodded again, quickly limping through the double doors through the rain to Avery's car. He shook his head playfully as he closed the door, spraying water droplets all over the car, including Avery.

"Nice." Avery wrinkled her nose at him. "Is that how you show your gratitude?"

"Yep." House's voice was shaky, but he quickly recovered. "I could also buy dinner."

"Sounds good." Avery answered. "Chinese?"

"Sure."

The pair proceeded to their favorite Chinese place and were soon seated. They fell into their normal easy conversation, and House felt oddly soothed by the mundane chat about their work day. House shared his adventure with their patient, thoroughly entertaining Avery.

Soon after dinner they arrived home, and Avery made a beeline for their bedroom, pulling out suitcases in preparation for packing. After some fussing on Avery's part, the suitcases were mostly packed, ready for whatever needed to be packed in the morning.

As they got ready for bed that night, House limped into the bathroom where Avery was brushing her teeth. Her hair was twisted into a bun, exposing her lovely neck, and he eased up behind her, bracing himself on the sink while pressing a line of kisses down her neck.

Avery finished brushing her teeth and turned to face him, draping her arms over his shoulders. "Something you want?"

"Always." House nuzzled Avery's neck, breathing in her citrus scent and wrapping his arms around her. "Come on, woman. Bedtime."

House guided Avery out of the bathroom and toward the bed, gently laying Avery down before laying down beside her. He let his hand slide under the tank top that clung so delicately to her soft curves, caressing the smooth skin underneath.

She arched into his touch, making a soft sound of pleasure as House picked up where he had left off in the bathroom, continuing his line of kisses down her shoulder until he reached the spaghetti strap of her tank top. House dragged it over her shoulder with his teeth, pressing a firm kiss to the exposed area before pulling the strap down further.

Avery pulled her arm out of the strap, allowing House to pull down the material to expose a breast. House traced a slow circle around the nipple, listening to Avery's gasp as he flicked his tongue across the nipple, following it by closing his lips around it to suck and lick at it, bringing it to full hardness while his other hand slid out from under the tank top to pull down the strap over her other shoulder.

Soon House was rolling the other nipple between his fingers as Avery moaned with pleasure. He shifted so that he straddled her, pressing a kiss between her breasts. "Like that?"

"Mm-hm." Avery murmured, her coffee-colored eyes drifting closed, her body arching to meet House's lips and hands as they explored her flesh.

He shifted both of them so that they lay fully on the bed, bending over her to kiss her all over, pushing up the tank top to press soft kisses to her belly as he worked his way down to her sleep pants, pressing the palm of his hand against her center.

"Baby..." Avery's voice was breathless as she spread herself before House, spurring him on. He pressed into her while he kissed her along her waist, listening to her moan softly as he did so, building up the anticipation with his gentle teasing.

Finally he tugged at her sleep pants, taking them down along with her underwear and pulling them off her body, letting them drop on the floor in front of him. He bent over her, spreading the folds of skin to get to the nub of flesh in between, flicking at it with his tongue.

She was squirming underneath him, spreading herself as far as she could, stroking the top of his head as he dove deeper, moving his tongue over the hard nub, sliding two fingers deep inside her. Her sighs and moans drove him on, her fingers curling in his hair as he quickened his tongue and fingers, bringing her to the edge and over with a soft cry. He could feel her muscles contract around his fingers as she rode out the orgasm, finally relaxing with a satisfied sigh.

Avery took his face in her hands and encouraged him to lay on top of her, sliding her hands under his shirt and running them up and down his back. House rumbled in pleasure for a moment before she deftly rolled them over, pushing the t-shirt over his head and letting it fall over the side of the bed.

She worked her way down his chest and stomach, leaving a trail of kisses right to the waistband of his boxers, folding them over to leave a lingering kiss right above his center, making him groan with anticipation.

From there she kissed him across his waist, her tongue flicking out with each kiss. The teasing was driving him nuts, and he wrapped a hand around her neck in an attempt to guide her back to center.

"What's the matter, baby?" Avery asked. "Don't like being teased?" She shifted so that she was on her knees between his legs, lightly tracing her fingernails down the inside of his thighs.

"_Fuck_, babe." House groaned loudly. "You're killing me."

"Mmm..." Avery tilted her head and lightly stroked the growing bulge beneath his boxers. "I think you'll live. Maybe."

"You're evil." House grinned a little. "I think I like it."

Avery laughed softly and pulled House's boxers off, stroking him briefly before straddling him. She took him in hand and guided him inside her, riding him slowly at first before he grabbed her ass with both hands and held her to him, pumping inside her furiously until he exploded inside her with a growl.

He held her until he rode out the sensation, finally relaxing his grip on her to run his hands up her back, pulling Avery down to lay on his chest. "Mmm...you feel so good, babe."

"Mm-hm." Avery murmured sleepily. "You too."

They lay in blissful silence for a few minutes before rearranging themselves in their bed, not bothering to dress, simply enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed together. If it were up to House, he would spend every night with Avery, just like this. With any luck, they would.

# # #

**Do your thing, readers. Read and review.**


	72. On The Road Again

**Back over to this universe with the same old disclaimers. I don't own House, the Temps, the Tops, Stevie Wonder, or IHOP.**

# # #

House awoke with a start early the next morning, vaguely uneasy in the aftermath of some disturbing dreams that he couldn't quite wrap his brain around. Avery was still curled up next to him, her soft, warm skin pressed against his. If not for his current state of mind, House would have found it terrifically arousing. As it was, he mostly found it comforting, and he shifted ever so slightly, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head.

Sleep refused to come to him despite the soothing warmth next to him, and House finally gave up, throwing back the covers briefly before bringing them back to settle over a still-sleeping Avery. He sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes, taking the rare opportunity to simply watch her sleep.

She looked so calm, so peaceful, every bit the anchor in the wildly rolling ocean that his life represented right now. House still didn't understand how he got so goddamn lucky. The day she appeared in his office doorway, he decided when he looked back, had to qualify as one of the best days of his life.

He bent over her to brush a soft kiss to her temple, and Avery stirred ever so slightly, her brown eyes languidly blinking open. "Everything okay?" She murmured. "What time is it?"

"Everything's fine." House whispered in her ear as he caressed her cheek. "And it's too damn early. Go back to sleep."

Avery murmured something unintelligible, shifted slightly, and almost immediately fell back asleep. House pushed himself off the bed with a slight chuckle as he found his robe and wrapped it around himself. His clothes were scattered on the floor around the bed, a casualty of last night's ferocious lovemaking, and House didn't feel like being bothered with tracking them all down right now.

He tucked his phone into the pocket after checking for messages or missed calls. All seemed to be quiet on his patient's front, although House wasn't necessarily expecting a call. Wilson had offered over lunch to be the point man in House's absence, and it was a duty Wilson took seriously.

House reflected on his changing friendship with Wilson as he made coffee. The oncologist's role in House's life had definitely shifted since Avery entered the picture, and it had been an adjustment for all of them. They once again seemed to be finding their place, and House was grateful to have Wilson on his side.

The coffeemaker spluttered to a stop, and House opened several cabinets before he found the one containing the coffee mugs. Moving was a bitch, he decided. Nothing is where it belongs, nothing's familiar, and just when a person begins to feel settled...

House shook off his thoughts. This wasn't his childhood, where he and his mother had spent years following House's father from base to base, putting down roots only to pull them up again. He was _home_, and he wasn't moving again anytime soon if he had anything to say about it. Somehow he didn't think that would be a problem. Avery seemed to be as tired of moving as he was.

He was just fixing a mug of coffee when he heard Avery pad into the kitchen, sliding an arm around his waist and giving him a gentle squeeze. "Morning."

"If that's what you call it." House answered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in return and kissing the top of her head. "Figured you'd sleep a little longer."

Avery simply shrugged as she fixed her own mug of coffee. "The sooner I get up and moving, the sooner we can get on the road."

House nodded, leaning on the counter, his heart sinking a little bit. No sense putting off the inevitable.

After coffee and a quick shower on both their parts, House and Avery closed up the condo, placing their suitcases in the trunk of Avery's Subaru. "Do you want to drive first, or shall I?" Avery asked him.

"You first." House answered. "I'm going to try for a nap."

They both climbed in as Avery started the car, backing out of the driveway and starting down the street. House almost immediately closed his eyes. With any luck, he could catch a couple of hours of shut-eye before he took his turn in the driver's seat.

# # #

The car ride was silent as Avery turned onto the highway, House's soft snoring the only sound. Avery picked up her I Pod from the cup holder and found one of her playlists, and soon the upbeat tempo filled the car. _"Sugar pie, honey bunch...you know that I love you...I can't help myself...I love you and nobody else..."_

Avery drummed her fingers against the steering wheel as she drove. Was this the Temptations or the Four Tops? She honestly couldn't remember. She enjoyed both, but could never manage to keep them straight.

She glanced over at House occasionally as she drove, checking the concern that rose up in her with every shift, snort, and grunt. At least he was sleeping now. House hadn't had a decent night's sleep in nearly two days, and he was going to be an even bigger wreck if he didn't get some rest between now and when they arrived to meet Blythe's neighbor.

He stirred slightly, those brilliant blues fluttering open as his hand crept to his thigh, rubbing slightly. "Need to stop, babe." He grumbled.

"Next exit is about three miles away." Avery answered. "Are you hungry?"

House nodded, shifting in his seat. "I could do with a little something."

Avery pulled off the highway and pulled into a nearby IHOP. The hostess soon seated them and poured each of them a cup of coffee, leaving them to peruse the menu.

Avery's phone started chiming, and she pulled it out to flip it open. "Matthews."

"It's Cameron." Cameron's tone was all business, meaning something was probably going on with House's patient. "Do you have a minute?"

"Of course." Avery took a sip of her coffee. "What's going on?"

Cameron explained the heart murmur that had been uncovered via the ultrasound. Avery nodded as Cameron described the sounds.

"That could explain a good deal." Avery agreed. "Send a copy of the ultrasound to Weaver. He'll be able to assess it for you."

"Thank you so much." Cameron paused for a moment. "How's he holding up?"

"As well as can be expected, I think." Avery took hold of House's hand as he frowned at her.

"Please give him my regards. Robert sends his, too." Cameron told her, her concern for her former boss obvious. "I'd ask you to take care of him, but I know you already are."

Avery laughed softly. "As much as he'll let me, anyway. You know how he is."

"That I do." Cameron laughed a little in response. "I'll keep you posted."

"No need." Avery told her. "Have Weaver contact me. He has my cell number."

"Okay, will do." Cameron replied. "Take care."

"Goodbye." Avery ended the call by closing her phone and tucked it back in her purse. She looked up to see House scowling at her from across the table.

"What was all that about?" House's eyes bored through her as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"The team spotted a heart murmur." Avery answered. "I referred them to Weaver." She tilted her head at House as she caressed the palm of his hand with her thumb. "Blonde and Blonder send their regards."

That earned her a slight smile, even as he grunted in annoyance. House lightly squeezed her hand and released it. "Got to take care of business. Order me the Breakfast Sampler, would you?"

"Sure thing, baby." Avery watched him limp heavily away, clearly favoring his right side. She wondered briefly if he had taken his meds that morning, and made a note to check with him when he returned. In the rush to get out the door, it was likely that they had been forgotten.

He returned shortly after the waitress took their order, his eyes slightly rimmed with red, his limp slightly less pronounced. Avery's heart went out to him, and after he slid back into the booth, she reached across the table with both hands, fingers spread apart.

House sighed heavily and reached across, interweaving his fingers with hers. His pinkies lightly grazed over the solitaire on her left hand and the sapphire and diamond ring on her right hand, and he almost looked as if he was lost in reverie.

"She's really gone." He murmured softly.

Avery simply nodded in return, waiting for him to make the next move. "I really loved her, you know." He continued, his thumbs absentmindedly stroking her hands. "You wouldn't think I did but...I did." House's voice dropped to a near-whisper. "I miss her already."

Avery felt the tears well up upon House's admission, and soon she could feel them run down her cheeks. House looked up sharply when she sniffled. "Why are _you_ crying? She wasn't your mom."

"I know." Avery couldn't help but laugh, just a little. She released House's hands long enough to dig a tissue out of her purse, blowing her nose. "I miss her too, that's all."

House rested his chin on one hand, leaning on his elbow, looking at Avery with a slight smile on his face. "I don't know how I would have done this without you."

"Oh, I'm sure Wilson would have come with you." Avery assured him.

"He dragged me to the last one." House told her, shaking his head. "No need for him to repeat the favor."

Avery tilted her head questioningly, and House regaled her with the tale of his and Wilson's road trip to his father's funeral as the waitress brought their food and they started eating.

"You've got to be kidding me." Avery laughed as House continued his story.

"Yep. Full bottle of booze, right through the stained glass window." House affirmed, chuckling at the memory. "Wilson doesn't lose his temper often, but when he does...whew, look out. The man's dangerous."

"Well, no need to worry about that with me, baby." Avery patted his arm as they finished their meals and House dug out his debit card.

"I hope not." House threw her an amused look. "You're pretty dangerous when you're pissed, too."

"I am not!" Avery exclaimed, somewhat taken aback. "I hardly ever get upset with you."

"Anymore." House added. "And I've heard you take your people to task in your office. That door isn't exactly soundproof."

"Well, it's not as if I yell and scream and throw a fit." Avery gave House a pointed look. "Unlike some people."

House shrugged casually. "If the kids would get their collective head out of their ass once in a while, I wouldn't have to get loud with them." He frowned. "Come to think of it, I haven't given them a good ass-chewing in ages."

"You're right. You haven't." Avery agreed. "Actually, the last time I heard you bellow at them was way back when I first started. I was just getting settled into my office, chatting with Wilson, when I heard footsteps and your voice."

"Really." House leaned forward, interested. "And what was I yelling?"

"'Goddammit, Foreman, I thought you taught that runt how to break into a house. What the hell is wrong with you?' Then you burst into my office and shoved some scan into Wilson's hand. He tried to introduce us, but you were, shall we say, a bit obsessed with your case." Avery suppressed a giggle at the memory. "When Wilson didn't have anything, you snatched the scan out of his hand, called him 'completely fucking useless', and stormed out, slamming the door behind you."

House winced a little and shook his head. "I don't remember that."

Avery smiled a little and looked across the table at House. "Wilson just shook his head and said, 'That's House. He doesn't knock.'"

"And that's when you fell madly in love with me." House leaned back against the back of the booth, shaking his head again. "It's a wonder you ever spoke to me after that."

Avery simply shrugged. "I was doing Wilson a favor."

"He was doing me one, too." House lifted his eyes to meet Avery's. "Little did he know."

"Indeed." Avery smiled warmly. "Ready to go?"

"Not really." House's face fell as he pushed himself out of the booth. "But I guess we'd better."

Avery followed House as he paid the bill and left the restaurant. "Do you want to drive for a while?"

House shook his head. "Now that I'm full of food and drugs, I really want to sack out." He caught Avery's eyes over the roof of the car. "Unless you _want_ me to drive."

"No, it's fine." Avery told him as they climbed into the car. "Sleep. You need it."

House settled in and closed his eyes as Avery started the car and pushed 'play' on her I Pod. The familiar strains of a Stevie Wonder song came floating through the speakers. _"For once in my life I have someone who needs me...someone I've needed so long...for once, unafraid, I can go where life leads me...and somehow I know I'll be strong..."_

House's eyes flew open, and he turned his head toward Avery with a tired smile, reaching out to pat her thigh. "This is the song, babe."

"What song?" Avery asked.

"Our first dance at our wedding, of course." House snorted.

Avery arched an eyebrow at House. "You were serious?"

"Hell yes, I was serious." House squeezed her leg before releasing it to rest against the passenger seat. "I told you I was going to dance at our wedding, and I meant it."

Avery looked over at House, who had already closed his eyes again, even as he was humming along with the song. She allowed herself a wide smile as she turned back onto the highway. While this was hardly the ideal circumstances for a road trip, it was good to know that some things could go on as normal. It would work until they had to deal with the harsh reality that awaited them in Virginia.

# # #

House blinked blearily as Avery shook him awake. "Come on, baby. We're here."

He wasn't entire clear on where 'here' was. "Where the hell are we?" He muttered as he looked around the car.

"We're at the hotel near..." Avery paused.

"Yeah, got it." House's voice was rough as he flung open the car door and shoved himself out. His leg was throbbing from the long car ride, and he wanted nothing more to drug up again and crash out.

Avery caught his eye, a soft expression taking over her features. "Why don't you walk around for a few minutes? I'll get us settled."

House nodded, a slight smile crossing his face. Sometimes...no, _most_ times, that woman knew what he needed more than he did.

He paced around the parking lot, as much to kick start his thought process as to work out the pain and stiffness. His left leg wanted to join the pain party as well, quietly throbbing in the background.

House stopped pacing and rubbed the spot thoughtfully. The bone was long since healed, though the surgical pins still remained. His mind flashed back to those first few days in the hospital. Those days had been a blur, a parade of doctors, nurses, and visitors traipsing through his room.

Somewhere in there, his mother had appeared. House still wasn't sure whether it was Avery or Wilson that had summoned her. If it had been up to him, he wouldn't have had her come at all. He had tried to tell himself that there was no need. He was fine, his injuries hadn't been life-threatening.

In truth, House hadn't wanted his mother to see him at such a low point. He was weak, vulnerable, and House hated that feeling with an unbridled passion. When Blythe had suddenly appeared, it was as if he were five years old all over again, and she had gently fussed over him. They had spent the next hour or so chatting, and she had returned over the next several days to sit with him, and they had started to form a new sort of relationship.

He closed his eyes, letting the memory wash over him, almost angrily rubbing a thumb under his eye. Dammit, he thought he had let all this out while he was hiding out in the men's room at the IHOP. She was gone, dead, their tenuous connection broken. She wouldn't live to see him get married, to meet the children House hoped would come into his and Avery's lives.

In the midst of his furious line of thought, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and a soft body press against his back. The soft citrus scent that wafted in the warm autumn breeze told him it was Avery, and he drew in a ragged breath, quickly rubbing at his eyes in an attempt to pull himself together.

She didn't say a word, simply holding him, and he could feel the emotional storm that had raged through him only moments before calm to a dull roar. House placed one hand over Avery's and squeezed gently.

His phone suddenly started chiming, and he switched his cane to his left hand to pull it out of its holster to answer. "House."

"Hello, dear." The voice replied. "It's Miriam. I spoke to your fiancee earlier, and she told me you've arrived."

"Right." House answered, shifting the phone to his left ear and leaning on his cane. "Just got here."

"Well, if you're not too tired...would you two like to come over for dinner tonight? We could start discussing arrangements."

House's heart sank. He didn't want to discuss _arrangements_ or anything else related to this whole mess. He didn't want to have to do this at all, but he didn't have a choice. "I guess."

The other woman sighed. "Doctor House, I know this is difficult for you. I wish it didn't have to be."

"Same here." House throat started tightening again, and his voice came out rough and gravelly. "So...seven o'clock okay for you?"

"Seven o'clock is just fine." Miriam agreed. "See you then."

He snapped his phone closed and shoved it back into its holder before turning to face Avery. "We're meeting the neighbor lady for dinner. Seven o'clock." House huffed irritably. "She wants to go over 'arrangements'."

Avery nodded sympathetically and lifted her chin to give him a brief kiss. House pulled her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her and losing himself in her scent and softness. "I'm nowhere near ready to do this."

"No one ever is, I don't think." She answered, squeezing him around his waist. "Nothing you can do but get through it."

House nodded, and they stood in the parking lot for a few minutes, holding on to each other. Suddenly Hanson started singing from his hip. "Son of a bitch." House grumbled as he disentangled himself from Avery, dug out his phone, and flipped it open. "What?"

"It's Cameron." The voice on the other end answered, seemingly unbothered by House's rough tone. "Something came up. It's not his heart."

"Really..." House started pacing around again, listening to his former duckling rattle off symptoms. It was proving to be a worthy distraction at a time when he desperately needed one. Right now, it was just what he needed.

# # #

**I know I've been a little slow on the updates. I still appreciate your reviews, though. Push the button.**


	73. Mother and Child Reunion

**You know the deal here. I don't own House, just the O/Cs.**

# # #

House's thoughts were churning as he drove to meet his mother's neighbor at her house that evening. The case had resolved itself a little too neatly for House's liking, and he suspected there was more going on than Cameron and Avery were telling him.

There was no time to deal with that right now, however. He had no choice but to face things head on. His mother was dead, and he had to make arrangements to put her to rest.

He sighed heavily as he pulled into the driveway and put the Subaru in park. As soon as he shut off the ignition, he felt a warm hand smooth across the back of his shoulders, and he turned his head to see Avery calmly studying him.

House's emotions threatened to overwhelm him again, and he took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself as Avery moved in closer. Her citrus scent enveloped him as she wrapped her arms around him, drawing him in despite his admittedly halfhearted efforts to resist.

They sat in silence for what felt like forever. House tilted his ever so slightly to rest his head on Avery's shoulder, deeply grateful for her presence. She offered no hollow words of comfort, no empty platitudes. She was simply _there_, and it made all the difference in the world to House.

He still wasn't convinced that he was going to hold it together tonight, but with Avery at his side, he felt that he might be able to get through it. It would be far from easy, but he would do it.

He exhaled roughly and lifted his head, brushing a kiss to Avery's lips. "Let's go do this, babe."

Avery nodded, releasing him, lightly rubbing him between his shoulder blades as she did so. They climbed out of the car and made their way up the steps to the front door. House met Avery's chocolate brown eyes, drawing on the strength that was reflected there. She simply nodded slowly, silently encouraging him.

He raised his cane to knock on the door. Before he could make contact, the door flew open, revealing Miriam. She greeted them with a plastered-on smile.

"Well now, don't just stand there." She spoke softly, her Southern twang obvious. "Come on in."

House and Avery followed her inside, and House glanced around the modest space, noting the somewhat old-fashioned décor, a variety of knick-knacks scattered throughout the living room. He felt something brush against his leg, and looked down to see a large calico cat, its tail twitching as it looked up at him.

The creature meowed and butted its head against his leg, clearly seeking attention. Miriam turned at the sound.

"Buster, leave him alone." She chided the cat softly, looking back at House. "I'm sorry, dear. He's a little lover."

Avery immediately bent down, making a soft clicking sound. Buster trotted over, butting his head against Avery's outstretched hand. "He's beautiful."

"Oh, thank you." Miriam smiled in response. "I adopted him from the shelter three years ago after my Harold passed on. He's wonderful company." She looked over at House. "He was so fond of your mother, Doctor House. The minute she would walk in the door, he would be on her like white on rice."

House frowned and thumped his cane on the carpeted floor. He had never known his mother was a cat person. He wondered what else he didn't know about his mother.

He glanced over at Avery, who was talking to the cat in soft, sweet tones as she scratched him behind his ears. The cat purred loudly, tilting its head toward the touch before flopping down on his side and exposing his belly.

Avery laughed softly, rubbing the cat's belly affectionately. "Oh, you like that, don't you? Yes, you do."

House looked at her, baffled. This was a side he'd never seen of Avery. "Never knew you were a crazy cat lady."

She glanced up at him with an amused look. "I had a gray tabby back in Chicago, before I met..." She pursed her lips as if she were reluctant to continue.

House nodded in silent understanding. He had no desire to dredge up bad memories. "We never had pets when I was growing up. Military life wasn't exactly conducive to having pets." He shrugged and ground his cane into the soft pile of the carpet. "Closest thing I had to a pet was a rat I found in my ex-girlfriend's attic."

"Really." Miriam scrunched up her face. "I can't stand rodents."

An awkward silence fell over the room, lasting until a timer started buzzing from the kitchen. "Oh, dinner's nearly ready. Doctor Matthews, perhaps you could help set the table?"

"Of course." Avery rose, giving Miriam her trademark warm smile as she followed the older woman into the kitchen.

Buster blinked and looked around, meowing in annoyance since his source of attention walked away. House glared down at the creature. "Don't look at me. I didn't do anything." He huffed irritably, gently poking at the cat's side with the tip of his cane. "Look at you. You should be ashamed of yourself. Get off your furry ass and get a little exercise, maybe chase a few rodents."

As if he had understood House, Buster rolled over and climbed to his feet, trotting over to House and rubbing against his leg. He meowed insistently, looking up at House with an almost hopeful expression.

House sighed softly and bent down to stroke the cat with one large hand. "You tell anyone about this, and you're dead, got it?"

The cat meowed, seemingly in agreement, and House couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Good. Glad we understand each other. Us men have to stick together."

A soft sound grabbed House's attention, and he turned his head to see Avery standing in the living room, her arms crossed over her chest and an amused expression crossing her elegant features. "If you and that beast are done bonding, dinner's ready."

House rolled his eyes and straightened himself up, leaning on his cane as he followed Avery into the dining room and took a seat at the table.

Miriam was an excellent cook, and the three of them enjoyed the meat loaf, scalloped potatoes, and green beans. Avery and Miriam made casual conversation while House listened in, bending down occasionally to scratch Buster behind his ears. The cat stretched up to House, tapping him on his lap with a paw, meowing pitifully.

"Buster!" Miriam scolded softly. "No begging."

Avery suppressed a small laugh. "Looks like you've made a new friend, baby."

"Right." House snorted and rolled his eyes, fixing Buster with a glare. "Furry little traitor."

Miriam smiled as she rose to start clearing the table. "I'll fix us some coffee, and then we can..." Her eyes flicked to House. "...discuss things."

House nodded firmly, pressing his lips together and staring down at the cat, roughly stroking his head in an attempt to keep his rising emotions in check. Now wasn't the time or the place. He had a job to do.

Avery looked across the table at House, tilting her head, and House could almost feel her staring him down. He looked up to meet her eyes with a rough sigh. "What?"

She shook her head, fixing him with a slight smile. "Nothing. Just never thought of you as a cat person."

"I'm not." House snarked. "Buster's a people cat, that's all. And not a very good judge of character, either."

"I wouldn't say that." Avery disagreed. "I'd say he knows how to pick people."

Buster meowed again, butting his head against House's hand. House snorted and continued petting the creature, shaking his head. "You're ruining my rep, furball." He told Buster. "I'll have to turn in my man card after this."

Miriam soon returned with a tray loaded down with a coffeepot, three cups, a sugar bowl, and a cream pitcher. "Go right ahead and fix your coffees. I'll be right back."

House turned his attention away from Buster and took a cup, dumping a couple of spoonfuls of sugar into it and adding coffee, stirring thoughtfully. Avery rose from the table to pour her own coffee, adding a splash of cream to her own cup and sitting next to House.

Miriam returned with a manila folder, taking a seat at the head of the table near House. She opened the folder and started to explain all that needed to be done prior to the service itself. As she started speaking, House's mind started drifting, overwhelmed by the seemingly endless details that were a part of this. Suddenly he hoped like hell Avery would outlive him. The thought of having to do this again filled him with dread.

"I think that's everything, Doctor House." Miriam was speaking again, and House realized that he had barely heard a word the older woman had said. "All that's left is to choose some pictures for the display, and go over the music list."

"Right." House shook his head to clear it, attempting to focus on the contents of the folder. None of it made sense, and he simply stared at it for the longest time, suddenly feeling indecisive.

All the emotion that he had managed to keep inside threatened to spill out at once, and House wanted nothing more than to run, to escape this. This shouldn't be happening. He shouldn't be here, in his mother's neighbor's dining room, talking about music and pictures for her goddamn _funeral_.

He curled his fingers around the length of his cane, holding it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. "If only someone had thought to fuss over her when she was alive." His words flew out before he could stop them. "Maybe we wouldn't have to plan her fucking funeral."

He heard Avery gasp softly next to him as he pushed himself out of the chair, limping furiously toward the front door. He had no idea where he was going, and he didn't care. All he knew was that he had to get the hell out of here.

# # #

Avery stared after House as he slammed the door behind him, shocked by his harsh words. She turned to Miriam. "I'm so sorry. He's not normally like this."

Miriam merely sighed and sipped her coffee. "I can't say I blame the boy. He's had no time to absorb anything."

Avery was vaguely amused at Miriam's use of the word 'boy' to describe House. She shook it off and continued to attempt to explain House's behavior. "They had just barely begun to build a relationship again. We're getting married in a few weeks, and she was so excited to attend...it's a shock to both of us."

"Oh, dear, you don't have to make excuses for him." Miriam reached out and patted Avery's hand. "From what Blythe used to tell me, he's not the easiest man to get along with under the best of circumstances. It seems like you were one of the few people who could get through to him." The older woman smiled sweetly at Avery. "Blythe adored you, Doctor Matthews. She talked about you almost as much as she talked about Doctor House."

Avery smiled in return. "I didn't know her for very long, but we did seem to get along very well. I'm going to miss her, too."

Miriam sighed and pulled back, straightening the folder. "She was a good friend, and a good neighbor." She blinked, her composure slipping. "If I could go back...I would."

"I'm sure." Avery reached out this time, placing a hand over Miriam's. "Greg's just...upset."

"Of course he is, dear." Miriam let out a short laugh. "The boy's lost his mother. I don't care how old you are or what kind of issues there are. When a parent dies...it _is_ the end of the world."

Avery thought back to when her father had his stroke. Good Lord, that seemed like years ago now. If he hadn't survived, she wasn't sure what she would have done. "I suppose you're right." She lightly squeezed Miriam's hand. "Thank you for all you've done. This can't be easy for you, either."

"You're welcome." Miriam answered, returning Avery's gesture with a warm smile. "I hope he didn't wander far. It's getting late."

"I'll go check." Avery rose from the table, nodding at the folder. "May I take this with me? I suspect Greg might be in a better frame of mind to look this over later tonight."

"Certainly." Miriam rose as well to see Avery out. "The funeral is Wednesday morning, so we need to have everything finalized by tomorrow afternoon."

"I'll let Greg know." Avery bent down to stroke Buster, who was rubbing against her leg. "Thank you again for everything."

The older woman suddenly pulled Avery in for a quick hug. "You just take care of that man. He needs you far more than he thinks he does."

Avery hugged her in return before opening the door and stepping out into the night. The air was cooler now, and Avery shivered ever so slightly as she trotted down the steps to the sidewalk.

She turned, spotting a tall figure standing in front of the house next door. The figure moved, and Avery spotted the cane moving up and down, thumping against the concrete.

Avery strode down the sidewalk until she reached him. His breathing was ragged, and his body shook as he stood, almost as if he was fighting some internal battle. Avery reached out and touched him on the shoulder.

House barely reacted, his slumping shoulders the only indication that he'd noticed Avery's presence at all. After a long silence, he let out a puff of air, setting his cane firmly on the sidewalk. "I know. I was an ass in there. You don't have to tell me."

"That's not why I'm here." Avery answered softly, moving her hand down his back and bringing it to rest around his waist. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm not." House choked out. "But I think you already knew that."

He slipped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her, rubbing her upper arm with his large hand and pointing at the house with his cane. "This is..._was_ her house." He huffed and shook his head. "I just can't think about her in the past tense."

"We can come back tomorrow." Avery assured him. "This doesn't have to be done tonight."

"Yes it does." House decided. "If I don't do this now...I won't do it at all."

House removed his arm from Avery's shoulders and dug into his pocket for his keys, fumbling around until he found what he was looking for. Avery raised her eyebrows in surprise. "How did you get a key?"

House smiled thinly. "I've had it ever since I lived here. Don't know if it still works, but it's worth a shot."

They made their way up the short walk and up the steps, and House slid the key into the lock. It turned with a click, and even House seemed surprised. "Thirty-five years and they've never changed the lock. Unbelievable."

Once inside, House flipped the switch, bathing the room in light. The layout was similar to Miriam's house, and even the décor was somewhat similar. Avery took in the room, reluctant to step further into the house. She almost felt as if she were invading sacred ground.

House seemed to have no such misgivings as he limped into the dining room, scanning the bookshelf that took up one wall. He seemed to find the object in question, tugging it out of its place and bringing it back to the living room.

He sat down on the couch, patting the cushion beside him. "Have a seat, babe."

Avery still felt a bit odd about being in Blythe's house, but moved to join House on the couch. House flipped open the binder, revealing what must have been old family photos. He stabbed at the first one with one long finger. "That's my Oma. Tough old broad with a heart of gold. Mom and I stayed with her one summer while my father was out on training exercises." House tilted his head as if lost in the memory. "That was a good summer."

Avery didn't miss the difference in House's choice of words in reference to his parents. "You don't call your father 'Dad'."

House pressed his lips together, puffing out his cheeks before letting out the air in a sharp breath. "We...didn't have that kind of relationship." His eyes dropped to the photo album. "Do you know why I suggested the foster parenting thing?"

"Not...exactly." Avery answered carefully. "I know your childhood was less than ideal. You've never said much beyond that."

"That's something of an understatement." House barked out a bitter laugh. "My father was a hard man. He was intolerant of failure, intolerant of what he saw as openly rebellious behavior...well..." He gestured to himself. "Suffice to say that we didn't get along."

Avery moved to rub House between the shoulder blades, feeling the tension that was built up there. House sighed, seeming to relax slightly. His next words came out so softly that Avery almost didn't hear them. "I loved him, because he was my father, but...I hated him, because of what he did to me." He paused slightly before adding, "No kid should have to deal with that."

Avery's heart broke for him, and she simply sat with House, slipping her arms around him and pressing her cheek to his upper arm. Finally he sighed roughly, seeming to shake things off. "Anyway. Enough about him."

He straightened himself somewhat and continued going through the photo album, telling Avery stories behind the photographs as he chose pictures from each stage of his mother's life.

He froze slightly when he ran across a picture of his parents. Avery held her breath, waiting for House's reaction. After a long moment, he pulled the picture out of the album, gingerly holding it in his hands.

"It's their wedding picture." House explained. "Suppose that should go in the pile, too."

Avery smiled a little at the move. It was a small gesture, but an important one, she knew. Like it or not, House's father had helped shape him into the man he was today. To not acknowledge that in some form was foolish.

House went through several more albums, pulling a selection of photographs. He tucked them into the folder that Avery had brought with her with a hard sigh. "I think that's enough." A thoughtful expression crossed his rough features. "You think Miriam's still awake?"

"I'll take this to her." Avery quickly offered, not sure if House was willing to face Miriam again.

"I'll do it." House pushed himself off the couch and picked up the folder. "I owe the old bat an apology anyway."

Avery was pleasantly surprised as she followed him out of the house. He locked it behind him, turning the knob to test it.

He let his hand linger for just a moment, closing his eyes. Avery wasn't sure, but it almost seemed as if House was saying his own goodbye, not just to his mother, but perhaps to his father as well. She hoped he would be able to find some measure of peace now.

He glanced over at Avery, gesturing toward Miriam's house with his head. "Let's go."

They walked back over to Miriam's, and House rapped on the door with his cane. When she answered, he presented the folder with an almost sheepish expression.

"Doctor House." She regarded him warmly. "I'm glad to see your lady tracked you down."

"I didn't go far." He gestured toward Blythe's house with his cane. "Just next door." He presented the manila folder to the older woman. "I found a few pictures that might work. Music list looks good, too."

Miriam took the folder with a quick smile. "Thank you, dear. I'm sure we'll be able to put together a lovely display."

Avery nudged House slightly, encouraging him to finish what he came here to do. House glared at her, but immediately turned back to face Miriam. "Uh...about earlier..."

"Think nothing of it." Miriam told him firmly. Her face softened as she reached out to take House's hand. "I've relived that night so many times, Doctor House. Believe me, if I could go back..."

"I know." House's voice went rough. "Anyway. Thanks for everything."

"Of course." Miriam released House's hand. "Why don't we meet at the funeral home tomorrow afternoon and get everything finalized? Perhaps we could have dinner afterward."

House looked unsure, and Avery immediately picked up the hint. "Of course. What time?"

"Four o'clock?" Miriam looked from House to Avery and back again.

Avery squeezed House's hand. "We'll be there."

The three of them said their good nights, and House followed Avery back to the car, climbing inside. House didn't start the car right away, and Avery glanced over to see him simply sitting quietly with his hand on the keys in the ignition.

"What's on your mind, baby?" Avery knew to tread carefully. Today had been extraordinarily difficult for House, and he although he'd managed to keep it together most of the day, Avery knew he was right on the edge of falling apart.

House merely shook his head, taking in a ragged breath. "Hard day." He exhaled roughly, rubbing at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "Hard fucking day."

Avery reached across, rubbing House's upper arm in what she hoped was a soothing manner. There were no words for what House was going through right now, of that she was sure.

He turned his head at her touch, his eyes flicking between her hand on his shoulder and her face. Suddenly he reached for her, wrapping his arms around her as best he could in the cramped space and placing his head on her shoulder.

Avery pulled House in as close to her as she could, gently rubbing his back. "It's just us here, baby. You can let go."

"Where have I heard that before?" House murmured against her shoulder, his voice as rough and ragged as she'd ever heard it. She heard him take in a long, ragged breath. "_Fuck._"

He did let go then, his shoulders shaking as everything that he'd been holding in all day came pouring out of him. Avery simply let him go, knowing that there was a very real possibility this was the only opportunity House would take to openly express his grief and his pain.

She couldn't help but wonder just how much of this was for his mother, and how much was for his father. Avery had a feeling that House had never fully dealt with his father's death, and in an odd way, Blythe's death had provided that opportunity to do so.

Finally Avery heard House take a long, deep breath, followed by a hard exhale. He lifted his head from he shoulder, frowning at the mess left behind. "Sorry." He muttered. "Kind of left a mess."

"Don't worry about it." Avery answered, immediately digging into her purse for a couple of tissues, handing one to House. "It's washable." She started to settle into the seat again, rubbing House's arm. "Are you okay to drive?"

"Fine." House answered softly, turning the key in the ignition. He glanced over at Avery, an unsure expression crossing his rough features. "What happens here stays here, right?"

"Of course." Avery nodded.

"Good." House nodded in return, the barest hint of a smile lighting his face. "Between bawling on your shoulder and getting friendly with that damn cat, I'm in serious danger of losing my man card."

Avery couldn't help but laugh in response, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek. "I think your man rep is safe, don't you worry."

House chuckled as he backed out of the driveway and started the drive back to the hotel. After he pulled into the parking lot and shut off the car, he leaned over, letting one hand roam up Avery's thigh. "I can think of another way to ensure my man rep."

"Is that right?" Avery placed a hand over House's.

"Yep." A slight grin flashed over his face. "Mind if I show you?"

Avery smiled in response. Even in their most difficult times, House's more carnal desires never quite seemed to fade away. She leaned toward House and pressed a long kiss to his lips, gently teasing them apart with her tongue.

She broke away from him, thrilling to the gleam in his bright blue eyes. "No, baby. I don't mind at all."

# # #

**Back to you, readers. Read and review.**


	74. Keep Me In Your Heart

**Finally back over to this universe. My apologies for leaving you loyal readers hanging. As usual, I don't own House.**

# # #

As soon as Avery let them into the hotel room, House closed the door and immediately wrapped his arms around Avery's waist and held her close, taking in her soft citrus scent. After everything that had happened today, all he wanted to do was find comfort in her.

Avery turned around, slipping her arms around House's neck and planting a soft kiss on his lips. "Why don't you lie down and get comfortable? I'll be right back."

"No problem, babe." House couldn't help grinning a little. "Don't be long."

"I'll do my best." Avery laughed softly and released him, toeing off her shoes and padding to the bathroom.

House lay down on the bed after taking off his own shoes and closed his eyes. Tonight had been difficult, far more than he had bargained for, and he was emotionally drained as a result.

He felt the bed shift as Avery climbed in beside him, and he opened his eyes to see her on her knees with a bottle of something in her hand.

"What have you got there?" House asked, curious.

"Lotion." Avery answered, a slight smile on her face. "I thought that you could use a back rub."

"I could use a front rub, too." House teased in response.

Avery laughed and rolled her eyes. "Just take off your shirt and roll over."

House sat up and tugged off his t-shirt, tossing it aside. "You're sexy when you're bossy. Have I ever told you that?"

"Mmm…perhaps." Avery replied as House turned over onto his stomach and she straddled him. House could feel Avery's soft hands smooth over his back, relieved that Avery's lotion didn't smell like much of anything.

Avery started kneading a little deeper, and House could feel all the tension that had built up in the last couple of days melt out of him, and he let out a sigh of contentment.

"Feeling better, baby?" Avery asked gently.

"Mm-hm." House murmured, dangerously close to falling asleep.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Mmm…just on my back." House turned his head to see Avery leaning over him, her head hanging over his shoulder. He pressed a little kiss to her cheek. "I'll take that front rub now. I might even return the favor."

"I'll make sure that you do." Avery told him as she slid off House and lay down beside him.

House shifted so that he lay on his back, and Avery straddled him again, leaning over him to press a long kiss to his lips.

House wrapped one arm around her back and gripped the back of her neck with the other, roughly shoving his tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers.

She broke away to start a line of kisses down the center of his chest, moving so that she was in between his legs as she started to undo his belt buckle. House tucked one arm under his head, the other reaching out to caress Avery as she continued to undo his jeans and tug both jeans and boxers down his body.

House managed to work his way out of both pieces of clothing while Avery wrapped her hand around his shaft, bringing him to full hardness before bending over to sweep her tongue across the head. He gasped at the sensation, stroking the top of Avery's head as she dipped down to take him fully into her mouth, her lips closing around him and moving quickly up and down.

He could feel himself getting close to unloading, a little closer than he wanted. "Get up here, babe."

Avery released him and let House guide her so that she was hovering over him again. House slipped his hands under her clingy tank top, pushing it up to expose her full breasts, roughly caressing the nipples with his thumbs. Avery let out a hum and leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as House continued his exploration.

He slid his hands to her back, pulling her down to him and flicking at her nipples with his tongue, evoking a sharp gasp from Avery. "Like that?"

"You know I do." Avery softly responded, leaning back to remove her top before leaning toward House again.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." House spoke roughly, running his hands all over her, lightly squeezing her breasts before moving to cup her rear, guiding her so that her center was over him.

He untied her sleep pants, sliding them and her underwear down to fully expose her before pulling her close to place a light kiss just above her core. House's hands continued their roaming journey over her soft skin as he flicked his tongue against her clit. Avery moaned softly in response, spreading herself to allow House to explore further.

House easily took up the offer, his tongue tracing random patterns over the rapidly hardening flesh before closing his mouth over it, sucking and licking her at the same time.

He placed both hands on her rear, holding her firmly as she tensed up above him, her soft sounds of pleasure reaching a higher pitch as she got closer. House let his tongue slide down further, tracing around her opening, tasting the juices that spilled from Avery as evidence of her increasing desire.

Avery let out a long moan as she went over the edge, her whole body relaxing as House encouraged some final spasms from her. Finally she squirmed away, and House released her with a small smile.

She moved down his body, leaning down for a brief kiss, laughing softly at him. "You're grinning like the Cheshire Cat."

"Well, yeah." House replied, his hands still caressing Avery. "Not every day I get a response like that out of you."

Avery shook her head and broke away to lie beside him, taking his shaft in her hand and stroking lightly. House wrapped an arm around her and placed the other under his head, losing himself in the sensation.

He was soon hard again, and Avery moved to straddle him, guiding him inside her before moving up and down on him. She felt so good, and House started meeting her movements stroke for stroke, his own desire building until he could contain it no more, unloading inside her with one last powerful stroke.

House groaned loudly and wrapped his arms around Avery, holding her close as he rode it out, finally relaxing and spreading his hands out over Avery's back. "Godddammit, woman. You'll be the death of me yet."

Avery giggled girlishly from her position on House's chest. "Not for a long time, I hope."

House's thoughts suddenly shifted, reality hitting him with a great force. "Yeah, me too." He answered roughly, pressing a kiss to the top of Avery's head.

Avery lifted her head to look at him, a concerned expression on her face. "Something wrong, baby?"

House shook his head. "Nothing that wasn't wrong already."

Avery looked skeptical, but didn't say anything more. Instead she shifted slightly and pressed a kiss to House's lips before slipping out of bed and padding toward the bathroom, gathering up her clothes along the way.

House simply turned his head and watched her go, his thoughts of affection for her and sadness for his mother conflicting with each other. Finally he pushed himself up and off the bed, limping over to the suitcase and digging out his sleep pants.

Once dressed in his sleep clothes, he made his way over to the bathroom, where Avery was brushing her teeth, her hair swept up into its customary bun, exposing her lovely neck. House sidled up behind her, trapping her between himself and the sink, nuzzling her neck and taking in her scent.

"Hello." Avery glanced up in the mirror with a smile.

"Hey." House stared back in the mirror, observing the two of them. To him they seemed like an odd pair, this caramel-colored beauty and this rough and ragged beast.

He set his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist with a rough sigh. Avery tilted her head in curiosity. "What's wrong?"

House wasn't sure how to explain himself. Finally he blurted out, "I hope you outlive me."

Avery looked puzzled. "And why is that?"

"Because…" House pressed a kiss to her neck. "I can't handle the idea of making funeral plans for you."

Avery's face suddenly changed, and House could see the tears start to shine in her brown eyes. "Aw, dammit, babe. I'm sorry. Don't cry."

He could see Avery swallow hard and blink rapidly. "It's not you. It's just that…" Her voice dropped to a mere whisper. "I hate the idea of doing it for you, too."

House sighed softly and held Avery tighter. "Think there's a way we could avoid having to do that?"

Avery laughed a little, brushing at her eyes. "Outside of a suicide pact, no."

"And I'm not going for that." House told her firmly. "Got too much that I want to do, with someone I want to do it with."

Avery turned around with a wide smile, draping her arms around House's neck. "I like your plan much better." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Now then, shall we call it a night?"

"Go ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

Avery nodded and slipped away from him, leaving House alone in front of the sink. It was oddly comforting to know that she wouldn't want to be without him, either. No one had expressed that sort of feeling for him in a very long time, if ever.

By the time House made his way back to bed, Avery was already asleep, curled up on her side under the covers. House slid in beside her as quietly as he could, spooning up against her, wrapping his arm around her waist and closing his eyes. He decided not to think too much about what could happen down the line. Focusing on the present seemed like a much better idea.

# # #

The next day seemed to pass in a blur as House attempted to focus on making the funeral plans with Miriam. Avery was her usual pillar of strength, taking notes and making sure everything was as House wanted it.

Before he knew it, it was Wednesday, and he and Avery were driving to the funeral home. A knot had taken root in House's stomach and refused to go away. He had spent a better part of the night before writing and rewriting the eulogy before Avery had convinced him to come to bed.

He still wasn't sure about getting up in front of all his mother's friends and the few relatives that would be here today. The words on the paper that was tucked inside his suit jacket just didn't seem to do his mother justice, and House still wasn't convinced that he would be able to hold it together when the time came.

Avery parked the car and met House on the sidewalk, squeezing his hand lightly. Somehow that small reassurance calmed him considerably, and he squeezed back, adding a quick smile before they entered the funeral home together, hand in hand.

House blew out a sigh of relief upon entering the room where the funeral was to be held. No open casket, just as House has emphatically requested. The memory of House's father lying in that casket still haunted him, showing up in the nightmares that were only beginning to come further and further apart. House had no desire to feed similar dreams featuring his mother.

He and Avery took a seat in the front row, and House thumped his cane in nervous rhythm on the floor. Avery placed her hand over his, glancing over at him with a meaningful look, and House immediately stilled, shifting in his seat and stretching out his leg.

The opening music played, followed by words from the pastor House had only met the day before. "We are gathered today to celebrate the life of Blythe House…"

House barely listened to what came next, feeling oddly distant as his mother's friends took their turn sharing their memories of her. It was almost as if the woman they knew and the woman House knew were two different people.

Finally Avery nudged him, snapping him back to the present, and he realized that everyone was looking at him. "You're up." Avery whispered, squeezing his hand.

House nodded, pulling the crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and limping toward the podium. He scanned the small crowd that was gathered in this room before glancing down at his scrawled notes.

His gaze settled on Avery, who responded with a brief smile and an encouraging nod. House took a deep breath and crumpled the paper in his hand before speaking.

"I had a few things written down, but…" House was shaking slightly as he continued. "None of them seem right."

He twisted his mouth thoughtfully before speaking again. "A lot of you had a very different relationship with my mother than I did. We…went through a long period where we didn't really get along. That was more my fault than hers, even though I blamed her for a long damned time."

House fought the emotion that was starting to build in him, flicking his eyes over to Avery in an attempt to calm himself before continuing. "That's what I regret most of all, that we let our mutual pride and stubbornness get in the way for so long." He swallowed hard. "I miss her, more than I ever thought I would. I just wish…that we had been able to let all this crap go a lot sooner."

He bent his head and closed his eyes in an attempt to keep his emotions at bay. It wasn't working. He took one more shaky breath. "I think that's it. I loved her, and she loved me, even though we were both crap at showing it. And…I'll miss her not being a part of my life."

House quickly left the podium and made his way back to his seat, feeling Avery wrap her fingers around his hand in a subtle gesture of support. He almost fell apart right there at the simple touch.

The organist played the last choice, an old song from House's childhood, one of the first songs he had learned on the piano. House merely leaned forward, dropping his head and playing with his cane, trying to shut out his surroundings. He was already on the edge of falling apart, and he had no desire to break down completely in front of a bunch of people he barely knew.

The service finally ended with some closing words from the pastor, and House soon found himself surrounded by well-wishers, barely hearing the words of comfort they expressed. Avery stuck solidly by him, an arm draped almost protectively over the back of his chair, keeping up the small talk as the room emptied out.

An eerie quiet fell over the room, and House lifted his head to see that he and Avery were all alone. He pushed himself out of the chair and limped heavily over to the table where the photo collage was displayed, running his hand along the top of the frame.

He stood there for what felt like forever, silently saying his goodbyes to the woman who had raised him, the woman who had made him the man he was today. House barely noticed that Avery had come up next to him until she wrapped an arm around his waist.

House wrapped an arm around her in return, turning to place a kiss on the top of her head. "Let's go home, babe."

Avery looked surprised. "Right now?"

"Right now." House answered firmly. "There's nothing left for me here."

They left the funeral home, returning to the hotel and packing up before hitting the road. An odd calm came over House as he drove away, a feeling that he was driving away from his past and toward his future.

He glanced over at the woman that would be a part of that future, who was humming along with House's I Pod as she read her book. Suddenly the future was looking a hell of a lot better, and House couldn't wait to get home to keep building that future.

# # #

**You know what to do. Don't take as long to review as I did to update! :P**


	75. Leaving On A Jet Plane

**Here's where I insert my usual disclaimers and stuff. Don't own anything House-related, yada yada.**

# # #

House took almost a month off from work after Blythe's funeral, spending a good deal of time getting her affairs in order and working with Miriam to prepare his mother's house for sale. He made one trip to gather photo albums and a few other mementos, deciding to leave the rest to be sold at an estate auction.

By the time a month passed, House was more than ready to return to work. With any luck, his team would have a case waiting for him upon his return. He had already spent some of his time off consulting with them on a particularly tough case, and hadn't heard anything from the hospital in a couple of weeks.

The possibility of a new case was the primary thing occupying his mind as he and Avery entered the building. The weather had finally turned too cold for House to ride his bike, and he had been hitching a ride with Avery ever since. It meant that he was suddenly showing up much earlier than he ever had, a constant source of amusement for Wilson, Cuddy, and House's team.

House didn't mind, mostly. The ride in with Avery was proving to be one of his favorite times of the day. They would casually chat as Avery drove, and House found that he actually enjoyed the company. He knew that at some point he should get himself another car, but for now, this was working for him.

They rode the elevator to the fourth floor, scanning in their badges before heading to their respective offices. "Free for lunch?" House asked her.

"Don't you think you should see if you have a case before asking me that?" Avery countered.

"I'll make myself free if I do." House told her. "Why have minions if I don't put them to work?"

"Right." Avery laughed as they arrived at her office. She pushed herself up on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss. "I'll see you later."

House returned the kiss. "Love you, babe." He tossed over his shoulder while he limped toward his office.

"You too." Avery called back before disappearing into her own office.

House smirked to himself as he pushed open the office door, noting that Taub, Schaffer, and Thirteen were huddled around the table, passing case files around.

He dumped his backpack and hung up his coat before limping into the conference room, causing all three of them to lift their heads. "Morning, kids. Find anything interesting?"

"Nothing." Schaffer tossed the file she was scanning down on the table with a sigh.

House picked up the file Schaffer had tossed aside, flipping through it. "This one has possibilities."

Schaffer looked at House as if he were crazy. "Patient presents with fever and neck pain. Meningitis. Simple."

"Look closer." House tossed the open file back on the table and stabbed at it with one finger. "Infection panel came back negative." He gave Schaffer a hard look. "Go make copies. I'll let Cuddy know that we're taking this one on."

Schaffer pressed her lips together and picked up the file, leaving the room in a quiet huff. House smirked a little as he watched her go. The new kid had a lot to learn about looking for zebras. Hopefully this would teach her to look a little closer next time.

# # #

Avery was just finishing her phone call when her office door banged open, startling her. House was standing in the doorway, a broad grin crossing his rough features.

"You've got a case." Avery smiled warmly at him.

"Yep, and a damn good one." House leaned over her desk and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Got Schaffer making copies of the file right now."

"Good." Avery took a deep breath. "I just got off the phone with my mother. She wanted to know if you were still coming to Chicago with me this week for her birthday."

House winced slightly and sucked in his breath, shaking his head. "I've taken enough time off this year. No point pushing my luck." He glanced at Avery. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning, just like I planned." Avery answered. "Would you be able to ride in with Wilson if I took the car?"

"I don't see why not." House tilted his head thoughtfully. "Although…I've kind of been meaning to get a replacement for the old beast. This is as good an excuse as any."

"Wilson's not an old beast." Avery teased him.

"Ha, ha. Look who thinks she's funny." House rolled his eyes and leaned over her desk, planting another kiss on her forehead. His pager immediately started going off. "Looks like the Scooby Gang is looking for me. See you around, babe."

Avery laughed as House slammed the door behind him, and she picked up the phone to call her mother back.

"Hello?" Catherine's gentle voice carried down the phone line.

"Hi, Mom. It's me again." Avery replied. "I just spoke to Greg. It looks like I'm coming alone this time."

"Oh, that is too bad. Your father looked forward to seeing him again."

"Well…with everything that's happened this year…he doesn't want to lose any more time." Avery explained. "Besides, he just got a new case this morning. He's as excited as a kid on Christmas."

"Speaking of that…do you and Greg plan on going on your honeymoon right after the wedding?"

Avery thought about that for a moment. "I haven't booked anything yet. Why?"

"Since we are going to be there for the wedding, and we didn't get a chance to see you last Christmas, we thought it might be nice to have Christmas there." Catherine told her. "And we would like to see your new house as well."

Avery pondered the idea. She wasn't sure how House would feel about having her family invade their space during a holiday he wasn't particularly passionate about. "We can talk more about it when I come to Chicago."

"That's fine, dear." Catherine agreed. "Now, when can we expect you?"

Avery gave her mother her flight information and made light conversation concerning the wedding before letting her go.

She sighed a little after hanging up the phone. She would have preferred for House to come with her, but she certainly understood where he was coming from on that front.

There was a light tap on her office door, and Avery called out for the person to enter. It was Cameron, a wide smile lighting her face. "Got a few minutes?"

"Of course." Avery greeted Cameron with a smile of her own. "Sit."

Cameron was barely suppressing an excited expression as she pulled out a folder and handed it to Avery. "Just came back from my appointment…"

Avery felt Cameron's excitement as she took the folder, finding the most recent ultrasound pictures just inside. "Oh, my goodness. They're getting so big already!"

"I know, right?" Cameron's smile took over her entire face. "Check out the next one."

Avery flipped to the next set, barely containing a squeal of joy. "Both girls? Your poor husband…he's going to be outnumbered."

Cameron nodded, and the two women moved on to discussion of the baby shower. They had settled on early January for a date, since it wasn't likely that Cameron would carry the twins to full term.

Cameron's pager started going off, and she pushed herself out of the chair. "Duty calls."

Avery was a little concerned. "Are you still in the ER?"

Cameron nodded and rolled her eyes slightly. "Only on minor cases and consults. They're a little leery of letting me in the thick of the action."

"It's a valid concern." Avery affirmed. "Nobody wants anything to happen to those babies."

"I know, I know." Cameron sighed. "I just wish everyone wasn't so overprotective. I'm not made of glass, and I don't have a disease."

"No, you're just growing two little humans." A gravelly baritone interrupted. "Doesn't make sense to put them in a position to get knocked around."

Cameron huffed irritably. "Not you too, House."

House shrugged casually. "Just saying."

Cameron shook her head and left the office, gesturing for Avery to call her later, and House snorted derisively. "What was that all about?"

"She came to show me her latest ultrasound." Avery explained. "Girls."

House's eyes went wide before he dissolved into a low chuckle. "Good thing Chase cut his hair. He'll be tearing it out before too long with all that estrogen floating around."

"Oh, he'll be alright." Avery waved a hand dismissively. "He's tougher than he looks."

"I don't know about that." House looked skeptical.

"He worked for you for how long?" Avery questioned him. "If that didn't toughen him up, nothing will."

"Again with the jokes." House rolled his eyes and leaned over the desk for a kiss. Avery couldn't lie, she loved it when House would randomly appear in her office for one of his little 'consults'. Even after all this time, the scent of his spicy cologne wafting over her desk always did something for her.

His facial expression changed to something more somber as he pulled back. "This case is getting kind of complicated. Don't know how long I'm going to be here tonight."

"You know it's no problem, baby." Avery assured him. "I'll come pick you up. Don't worry about the time."

"Not the point." House shook his head.

Avery was briefly puzzled, until it dawned on her exactly what House was trying to tell her.

She rose from her desk and circled it to meet House, wrapping her arms around him and rising on tiptoe to give him a kiss. "Why don't I bring you some dinner tonight?"

A slow smile crept across House's face. "That's a good start…"

Avery laughed. "What more do you want?"

The smile widened, and Avery could see House's eyes almost sparkle with mischief. "Maybe…when you bring dinner…" He leaned down for another quick kiss. "…we could arrange a little 'consult' in your office."

"You're bad." Avery laughed in response as House pulled her close.

"I'm a man." House argued. "A man's got to do what a man's got to do…especially when his woman's not going to be around for a few days."

He closed his mouth over hers before Avery could respond, drawing her closer to him and deepening the kiss, his tongue tangling gently with hers.

House's pager suddenly went off, and he broke away with a sigh. "Damn kids. Always interrupting things." He paused briefly at Avery's office door. "Think about what I said."

"I will." Avery smiled warmly.

"Good." House nodded firmly, that little smile lighting his rough face as he disappeared, closing the door behind him.

Avery returned to her desk, already planning their late night 'consult'. The idea suddenly thrilled her to no end.

# # #

Later that night, House and his team were throwing diagnostic ideas around. The patient had been up and down all day, and they were no closer to a diagnosis than they had been earlier.

Finally they managed to come to a consensus, and House sent Taub and Schaffer to get the patient into the MRI while Thirteen handled the lab work. Once he was alone, he pulled out his cell phone and called Avery.

"Matthews."

"The coast is clear." House's excitement was building. He could barely believe that Avery was going along with this. "Meet me in your office."

Within the half hour, Avery stepped off the elevator, carrying a takeout bag. She met House in front of her office with a quick kiss. "I brought Indian."

"That's nice." House answered, accepting the kiss and deepening it before breaking away. "But I'm not ready for food just yet."

An amused expression flashed across Avery's face as she unlocked her office door and went inside. "And what _are_ you ready for?"

"I'll give you one guess, babe." House closed the office door behind him and pulled Avery into his arms.

He started to unbutton her coat, his eyes widening a little as he saw what was underneath. "Holy shit, babe."

"You like?" Avery's expression was somewhere between seductive and shy.

"Hell, yeah." House pushed Avery's coat off her body, revealing the deep rose colored bustier underneath. Her soft breasts spilled ever so slightly over the cups, and House leaned down to press a series of kisses over the exposed flesh, taking a deep inhale at the center. "Now that's what I'm hungry for."

House guided Avery so that she leaned against her desk, his hands moving downward to the waistband of her skirt. He easily found the zipper and tugged it down, sliding the skirt over her hips, revealing a garter belt attached to stockings that matched the bustier, but nothing more.

"Nice." House murmured as he let the skirt hit the floor, and Avery stepped out, pushing it aside with one foot while House gently started fingering her, feeling the evidence of her growing desire spilling over his fingers. "You're all wet, babe."

"Mm-hm." Avery closed her eyes, bracing herself against the desk and spreading her legs to allow House further access to her.

House straddled one leg, bracing one hand against the desk and pressing kisses all over her while continuing to rub her core, slipping one, then two fingers inside and moving them in and out.

His own reaction was growing, his jeans almost uncomfortably tight as he continued his explorations, working his way up to her ear. "Let me out." He whispered roughly.

Avery's hands quickly worked his belt and jeans, sliding both jeans and boxers off his body. She took hold of his length and started stroking, evoking a sharp groan from House.

He shifted so that he was in between her legs, pushing her back so that she sat on her desk, leaning in for a deep kiss while he pulled his fingers out of her and replaced it with his now fully hard shaft.

Avery's eyes fluttered closed as House rubbed his tip along her hardened flesh, and she let out a soft moan in response, spreading her legs further and sliding her hands under his shirt.

Finally he could contain himself no longer, and House plunged deeply into her, bracing both hands on either side of Avery as he rocked into her, kissing her hard.

He could feel Avery's orgasm build, and he felt her tense around him, the spasms pulling him along as he unloaded into her with a hard groan.

"Goddammit, babe." House mumbled, trying to catch his breath.

Avery opened her eyes, a soft smile crossing her face as she placed a hand on his cheek. "Still hungry?"

A low rumble of laughter escaped House as he pulled out of her and wrapped his arms around her. "Yeah, but…I'll take the food now."

Avery laughed gently and planted a soft kiss on him before releasing him. "You start. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"Bathroom." Avery answered as she put her skirt and her coat back on.

House felt a little thrill course through him. "You might get caught, you know."

"I know." Avery smiled in response.

House pulled up his boxers and jeans, readjusting and fastening before limping over to the office door, softly kissing Avery on the lips. "Don't be long."

She soon returned, and they settled in with their food. Avery was in her desk chair, and House was in a chair in front of the desk. House couldn't help but watch her, taking in every lovely inch of her.

"What's going on, baby?" Avery gave him a questioning look.

"Nothing." House answered. "Just going to miss you when you're gone, that's all."

Avery smiled gently. "It won't be but a few days."

"I know." House affirmed, setting his container aside and circling the desk to stand behind her, folding his arms over her chest. "Still going to miss you."

Avery placed a hand over House's own and looked up at him. House's heart soared at the loving expression as he bent down to kiss her. No words were necessary in that moment. Her face said it all.

House's cell phone started singing, and he pulled away with a sigh to answer. "What?"

"Found something interesting on the MRI." Schaffer told him. "Where are you, anyway?"

House smirked at Avery. "That, young Jedi, is none of your damn business. Be there in a few."

House thought he heard Taub in the background, and snickering as he hung up. "Damn them anyway. Who the hell taught them to be so observant?"

Avery laughed and gave House one more quick kiss. "I can't imagine."

House rolled his eyes, then stared hard at Avery. "You sticking around?"

"I can."

"Good." House nodded firmly. "I might be ready for more Indian…and possibly another…'consult'."

He left Avery laughing girlishly behind him as he headed down to meet his team. The sooner he got them squared away, the better, and the sooner he could get some more evening delight from Avery before she left in the morning.

The thought got him moving, a smile playing around his lips. He attempted to get it under control before he got the MRI room. No sense giving _everything_ away.

# # #

**Do your thing readers. Read and review.**


	76. Missing You

**We all know the deal by now. I don't own them. I'm just using them for my own amusement, and hopefully yours.**

# # #

Avery awakened early the next morning, feeling rough after her late night with House. It had been well worth it, a daring and naughty escapade in her office, followed by Indian food and their usual easy conversation before the patient had pulled him away.

She laughed a little to herself at House's expression just before she had left for the night. The poor man was already pining for her, and she hadn't even left Princeton yet. She decided she would give him a quick call before she left for the airport, just to touch base.

It would be a long week without him, Avery knew that for sure. They hadn't spent so long apart since House's hospitalization for his motorcycle accident, and that had been months ago. Now that they had settled into sharing each other's space, they were closer than ever, and they rarely went a day or two without seeing each other in some form.

After the second snooze alarm went off, Avery pushed herself out of bed and padded to the kitchen to start coffee. House wasn't home yet, no surprise given the way the patient was behaving by the time Avery left.

The front door opened and closed before Avery could leave the kitchen, and House appeared, looking every bit as rough as she would expect. "How did you get home?" She asked him.

"Hitched a ride from Schaeffer." House told her as he crossed the living room to give Avery a quick kiss. "Told her the newbie has to give the boss a ride home."

"You didn't." Avery laughed and kissed him in return. "That is it. You need to get your own car."

"Why?" House asked with an expression of mock innocence. "She was _this _close to falling for it. Would have worked, too, if it weren't for that meddling Taub."

Avery gave him what she hoped was a meaningful look, and House rolled his eyes. "Fine. Maybe I'll drag Wilson around to look while you're gone. Think a Hummer would fit in the garage?"

"I know it wouldn't." Avery answered. "It wouldn't fit our budget, either."

"Damn." House looked thoughtful as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I'll bet I could cut a sweet deal on a used one."

"I'm sure you could, but _no_." Avery told him firmly, taking the carafe from House and filling her own cup.

House huffed in mock irritation. "Fun sucker."

"I know." Avery kissed him on the cheek and padded out of the kitchen. "I'm sure you'll have no problem finding something more acceptable."

"But not as much fun." House grumbled and leaned against the counter, sipping at his coffee and shifting his weight off his leg.

Avery caught the move, and concern rose up in her. Chances were good that House was hurting after the long night, and though he was normally right on time with his med doses, he did miss one occasionally. "You take your meds, baby?"

"Not yet." House answered with a sigh. "I was getting there."

"A soak in the tub couldn't hurt either." Avery reminded him.

"It'd be even better if you joined me." House replied with a teasing look.

Avery turned and returned to the kitchen, setting down her coffee mug and wrapping her arms around House's waist. "Are you trying to make me miss my flight?"

House rolled his eyes. "You're perpetually early for everything. Your flight doesn't even leave until noon."

"I don't like to rush." Avery answered.

"I know." House smirked. "It's one of the million things I like about you. Now about that soak…"

Avery couldn't help but laugh. "Crazy man."

She left him and padded into their bathroom, starting the whirlpool tub and firing up the jets. House limped in not long after, setting his coffee mug on the edge and stripping down before climbing in.

"Coming in?" He questioned Avery.

"Of course." Avery took off her robe and nightshirt and joined House, sighing softly as she rested against him. Many nights since they had moved in found them just like this, simply enjoying each other's company while regaling each other with the events of the day. More often than not, House's days were far more interesting than Avery's.

House's arms snaked around her waist, and she could feel him shift slightly to press a firm kiss to the side of her neck, working his way down to her shoulder. He laid his cheek against her shoulder and let out a short sigh. "I'll miss you, babe."

Avery covered House's hands with her own and turned her head to plant a kiss on top of his head. "I know. I'll miss you too, baby." She told him. "It's only going to be a few days, and I'll call every night, okay?"

"Sounds good." House answered, wrapping his arms tighter around her. "So…Did I tell you what happened after the MRI?"

"No, you didn't."

House told the twisted tale of how the patient had seized almost immediately after the MRI, seeming to take special delight in the fact that the patient had projectile vomited all over Taub. "You should have seen his face, babe. Priceless. I would have taken a picture if I'd had a chance."

"You're terrible." Avery couldn't help laughing.

"Hey, it comes with the territory." House shrugged in response. "Anyway, Thirteen strapped the guy down while Schaeffer took blood. Turned out to be a brain parasite. You should have seen that thing under the microscope. It was _huge_."

"So your patient gets to live once again." Avery lightly squeezed House's hands.

"Yep." House affirmed. "A few days on an IV anti-parasitic and he should be fine. No long term damage."

He reached over to check his watch. "You'd better get going if you're going to make your flight."

Avery was reluctant to leave, but the time had come. "Are you ready to get out?"

"Not yet." House's voice was sounding sleepy. "Leg took more of a beating than usual."

Avery climbed out and bent over the tub to give House a quick kiss. He responded with a brief smile before closing his eyes and stretching his arms out along the edge of the tub. He looked so calm and relaxed, such a rare state for him, that Avery didn't want to leave him.

By the time Avery was dressed and packed, House had emerged from the tub, wrapped in his flannel robe and leaning against the doorway. Avery closed her suitcase and rounded the end of the bed to meet him.

"I think that's everything." Avery told him. "I suppose I'd best get going."

House pushed himself off the doorway and wrapped an arm around her waist, his other hand moving to the nape of her neck. He simply looked down at her as he brushed his thumb along her jaw. "Call me when you get there."

"I will." Avery pushed herself up on tiptoe to give him a kiss. "I love you."

"Love you, too." House answered softly. "Be safe."

Avery thought her heart would melt in that moment. "I'll do my best."

House pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before releasing her, and Avery rolled her suitcase out to the car, picking up her coat along the way.

She started the car and backed out of the garage, giving the condo one more look before driving down the road. As much as she was looking forward to seeing her family and friends, she would miss House terribly. Suddenly Avery hoped it would be a short week in Chicago. She already knew she wanted to return to Princeton as soon as she possibly could.

# # #

After Avery left, House attempted to sleep for a while. The whirlpool soak went a long way toward relaxing both his body and his mind, but he was having a hard time getting to sleep without Avery's soft body wrapped around him.

He huffed irritably and pushed himself out of bed, absentmindedly rubbing his thigh. It was still a bit sore after the long night, though the soak with Avery had helped a good deal. Once he took his meds, the rest of the pain would most likely take care of itself.

It still amazed him what a difference his pain regimen made, even after almost a year. The difference was literally between night and day. House still had the occasional bout of breakthrough pain, but those bouts were coming further and further between.

If it hadn't been for Avery, House wasn't sure he would have ever made the attempt to change. The idea of changing for anyone still amused House, and Avery would frequently remind him that he didn't make the changes for her. He did it for himself.

House had to admit that the woman was right. Still, if he had never met Avery in the first place…no, House didn't want to think about that. He had managed to drag himself almost kicking and screaming out of that dark place in his life, and had been rewarded handsomely, he thought. A woman who loved him almost unconditionally, a job he was still passionate about, friendships he didn't realize he had, and of course, this place.

He still couldn't quite believe _he_ lived here, in this bright, open, spacious place. It was worlds removed from his apartment, although he had retained a good deal of the spirit of the place in his little retreat. He found that he used the space far less often than he thought he would. More often than not, House found he would rather be out _there_, where Avery was, than in _here_, alone.

House made his way into the kitchen, pouring another cup of coffee and taking his meds before heading to the piano. Cuddy had given him and his fellows the day off, and House had every intention of relaxing and enjoying it.

That feeling lasted all of a couple hours, when House suddenly found himself at loose ends. He cursed himself for not driving Avery to the airport. That meant that he was, for all intents and purposes, stuck at home. Unless…

He pulled out his cell phone and hit Wilson's number in his contacts. As expected, he got the oncologist's voice mail. "Wilson, call me when you get a chance. I kind of need your help with something."

Within a few minutes, 'Dancing Queen' started singing out of his phone. House immediately flipped it open. "What are you doing for lunch?"

"Not much." Wilson answered. "Why? And where are you?"

"Home." House couldn't help smiling a little to himself at that one word. "Avery left this morning, and Cuddy gave the department the day off."

"Ah…Avery drove herself to the airport, and now you're bored and lonely, right?" House could hear Wilson chuckle at the other end.

"Well…actually…I was going to do some car shopping." House told him. "I'll buy lunch."

"Hmm…" House could hear Wilson flipping through his appointment book. "Looks like I've got a couple hours open. I suppose I could come get you."

"Cool." House was already making plans. "See you soon."

The doorbell rang not much later, and House hopped up to grab his coat and head out the door, nearly pushing over Wilson in the process.

Wilson regarded him with raised eyebrows. "Everything okay?"

"Yep." House answered. "Just ready to get this done."

He gave Wilson directions to the dealership, and House was out of the Volvo almost as soon as Wilson brought the car to a stop. He already knew what he was after, having spent a good deal of time overnight while waiting for lab tests online researching.

House spotted the vehicle he had seen, and Wilson let out a low whistle behind him. "That's…wow, something, House."

"Pretty sweet looking ride." House scanned the lot for a salesperson. "Why don't you see if you can find someone to get the keys?"

Wilson let out a resigned sigh and strode toward the office while House took some pictures on his cell phone, sending them on to Avery. He hadn't heard from her yet, so he assumed her plane hadn't landed.

He was surprised when 'Brown-Eyed Girl' started singing from his phone, and he quickly flipped it open to answer. "Hey, babe. Get my message?"

"I did." Avery laughed. "I thought we agreed on no Hummer."

"It's an H3." House argued. "It's like…a mini-Hummer."

He heard Avery sigh. "Have you driven it yet?"

"Nope, just got here." House told her. "Wilson's hunting down a salesperson."

"Well…if you like it, get it." Avery answered. "As long as it's within the limits we talked about."

"Of course, babe." House assured her, spotting Wilson returning with a saleswoman. "Gotta go. Time to test drive this puppy."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Love you."

"Love you, too." House snapped his phone closed and held out his hand for the keys.

"I'll need to make a copy of your driver's license first before I can let you take it off the lot." The saleswoman explained.

House huffed irritably and pulled out his wallet, handing the young woman his license. Soon she returned, smiling as she handed him his license and his keys. "Enjoy your test drive, Doctor House. Take as long as you need."

House quickly unlocked the SUV and climbed in with remarkable ease, Wilson climbing in on the passenger side. Child-like joy rose up in him as he looked over the dashboard. "Holy shit, this thing has _everything_."

He started the vehicle and immediately set up his I Pod while Wilson fiddled with the settings for the heat, including the heated seats. Soon House was cranking The Who at nearly full volume as he pulled out of the parking lot and took off down the road.

"Me likey!" He shouted at Wilson, who regarded him with a slightly pained expression before shaking his head and laughing.

"I can tell!" Wilson shouted in return.

They drove around for a good hour, taking the H3 out on back roads and highways, and House was beyond satisfied with the vehicle. Finally they returned to the dealership, and House all but bounded into the office.

"I'll take it." He announced to a startled sales staff. The saleswoman that had originally assisted him led him into her office, where they started the sales paperwork.

Within twenty minutes, House had the keys and a title in his hand, and the two men headed out to the H3. House could barely believe his own luck. Just when he thought things couldn't get any better, life had suddenly found a way to make it happen.

"So, where do you want to go for lunch?" House asked Wilson as he climbed back in the SUV.

Wilson shrugged. "Up to you."

House rolled his eyes. "Look, you pick, I'll pay. So pick something."

"Chinese sounds good." Wilson told him. "Meet you there?"

"I'll be there." House answered. "Might take me a few minutes."

Wilson nodded sagely. "Understood."

House closed the door and started the vehicle, arranging everything just as he wanted it. He flipped open his phone and called Avery.

"Hey, baby."

"Hey." House couldn't keep the child-like grin off his face. "I got it. I'm driving it off the lot right now."

"Wonderful!" Avery exclaimed. "I can't wait to see it when I get home."

"Oh, I'll show you." House told her. "You wouldn't believe how much room there is in this thing. If I fold down the seats…"

Avery laughed heartily. "Sounds like one more thing to add to the christening list."

"Damn right, babe." House let out a low chuckle of his own, followed by a short sigh. "Can't wait."

"Me either." Avery replied. "I'll call you later tonight. Love you."

"Love you." House answered before closing his phone and dropping it in a cup holder. A new vehicle was nice, but sharing it with Avery would be even better. Sharing it with Avery with the seats folded down like a pair of teenagers would be better yet.

He sighed to himself as he pulled into the Chinese restaurant. This was going to be a long damned week.

# # #

**I've done my part, no be so kind as to do yours. Read and review. :)**


	77. Homeward Bound

**First of all, a thousand pardons for letting this one slide. Hopefully the smut at the end makes up for the long wait. Second of all...I don't own House. If I did, there wouldn't be any of this silly Huddy nonsense.**

# # #

Avery closed her phone with a smile and tucked it back into her purse. As rough and tough as House appeared to be, he was a big kid inside. The pure joy in House's voice was obvious. Avery could hardly wait to see the SUV in person.

"Is everything alright, dear?" Catherine's lilting voice brought Avery's attention back to the present.

"Oh, yes." Avery laughed softly. "Greg just bought a new truck."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Definitely." Avery assured her mother. "He left his old car behind when he bought the motorcycle, and I think he's tired of dragging himself out of bed so early to ride in with me."

Catherine's eyes went wide. "You let him buy another motorcycle?"

"I didn't _let _him. He wanted to." Avery replied firmly.

Catherine shuddered in response. "I can't believe he wanted another one after everything he went through."

"I can." Avery answered confidently. "I'm just surprised it took him so long."

"He is…different." Catherine shook her head as she pulled into her parking spot in front of her house. "He is a better choice than that other one, but still…he worries me."

"Believe me, he worries me, too." Avery laughed as she climbed out of the car and opened the trunk to pull out her suitcase. "But he's worth it."

The two women continued chatting as they entered the house. Stephen suddenly appeared in the foyer to greet them.

"Hello, love." He greeted Catherine with a hug and a kiss before moving on to Avery. "And hello to you as well."

Avery gave Stephen a tight hug, rising on tiptoe to give her father a kiss on the cheek. "Dad, you look great."

"I feel very good, love." Stephen gestured with his cane. "I hardly even need this thing anymore."

"That's not what his physical therapist says." Catherine gave Stephen a pointed look.

Avery suppressed a small smile. This discussion sounded very familiar. "I think you've made excellent progress, Dad."

"Thank you, my dear." Stephen gave Avery a warm smile and squeezed her shoulder. "Why don't you go get settled? Your mum is working on something rather special for dinner, and it won't be ready for a couple of hours yet."

Avery nodded, rolling her suitcase down the hallway to her former bedroom. Even though she hadn't lived at home for over twenty-five years, it still felt warm and familiar. Her mother had updated it over the years, but the room still retained a distinctly feminine feel.

She toed off her shoes and pulled her phone out of her purse, scrolling through her list of contacts. After a couple of rings, the other party answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, girl." Avery smiled at the sound of her friend Ramona's voice. "Guess who?"

"Avery?" Ramona all but screamed into the phone. "Girl, where the hell are you?"

"My parents' house." Avery answered. "I just got here."

Avery and Ramona had been friends since Avery's sophomore year of high school. Ramona had been the wild child, bold and unafraid, while Avery had been the quieter, more bookish of the two. It seemed like an unlikely friendship, but it worked, and the two women were still close, despite the distance and their ever changing lives.

"Well…you know I've got plans for you, right?" Ramona sounded as if she were bubbling over with excitement. "You've got to have one more big-ass bash before you get married. Speaking of…you bring him with you?"

"Not this trip." Avery felt a tiny pang at that. "You'll get to meet him when you and Al come for the wedding."

Ramona made a 'hmph' sound before continuing. "You'd better at least have a picture of him with you. I want to see the man that unbroke your heart."

"I do." Avery assured her.

"Good." Ramona replied firmly. "So, we're meeting up tomorrow night, right?"

"Right." Avery agreed. "Nine o'clock. I haven't forgotten."

Ramona laughed heartily. "Girl, you are in for the time of your life. See you then."

"Bye." Avery closed her phone and set it on the night stand before laying down on the bed. She was looking forward to tomorrow night's events. It was an impromptu bachelorette party, since many of her friends wouldn't arrive until the night before the wedding. If Ramona had planned it, it was bound to be a wild time.

A short time later, a knock on the door startled her awake. "Yes?"

Catherine opened her door and poked her head inside. "It's dinner, dear."

Avery pushed herself off the bed and followed the scents to the dining room, only slightly surprised to see Devin and Alice seating themselves at the table along with Stephen and Catherine.

Devin glanced around with a baffled look. "No Greg this time?"

"Afraid not." Avery answered. "He decided he's taken enough time off this year. Besides, he's got a new toy to keep him busy."

"Really." Devin was immediately interested.

"Yes." Avery laughed. "The man bought an H3 today. He sounded as if he was having _way _too good a time with it."

Devin turned to say something to Alice, who immediately shook her head. "Uh-uh, no way. We need another vehicle like I need a hole in the head."

There was affectionate laughter as Avery teased her brother. Catherine merely shook her head at their antics.

"Some things, they never change." She commented.

Suddenly Avery wished very much that House had come with her. Perhaps it would do him some good to see a fully functional family in action.

After dinner and dessert, Devin and Alice said their goodnights while Avery and Catherine started cleaning up. Stephen retired to the living room to watch one of his medical dramas.

"I don't know what he sees in that show." Catherine commented. "The lead character is nothing but a cranky old man who limps around insulting people. "

"I'm sure there's more to it than that." Avery laughed as she started dishwater.

"Oh, I'm sure." Catherine agreed. "But I am still very grateful that it is on while I am doing dishes."

The two women chatted and laughed as they cleaned up, finishing the task before settling in the dining room with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

They stayed up talking until late into the night, much like the times Avery would come home to visit during medical school and later on after she had moved to Ann Arbor. It always felt good to talk with her mother, and Avery had long reached a point where she felt she could talk to her about almost anything.

"So…" Catherine started, sipping at her wine. "Have you given any more thought to Christmas?"

"I haven't had a chance to mention it to Greg." Avery admitted. "I have a feeling he would rather keep it to just the two of us, but…I know I'd love to have you all stay for a few days."

Catherine patted Avery's hand. "Just talk to the man. He seems like a reasonable sort. I am sure he will understand."

Avery wasn't so sure. "I will." She finished the remains of her glass and rose from the table. "I think I'm going to call Greg and then call it a night. I love you."

"I love you." Catherine returned her daughter's warm hug. "See you in the morning."

Avery made her way to the bedroom and went through her normal evening routine, with one exception. There would be no House to curl up next to tonight. The thought made her a little sad.

Her phone started singing "Whatta Man", signaling a call from House, and she immediately opened it. "Hey, baby."

"Hey." House sounded sleepy. "You're late."

Avery glanced at her watch. It was nearly midnight here. "Sorry. My mom and I got to gabbing, and I just lost track of time."

House let out a low, rumbling laugh. "I forgive you…this time."

Avery laughed and sank back against the pillows. "So…how are you?"

"Good." House answered with a sigh. "Kind of quiet around here without you. Kind of lonely, too."

"Same here, baby." Avery curled up under the blankets and turned out the light. "Wish you were here. I've gotten awfully used to sleeping next to you every night."

"And I've gotten used to that thing we usually do _before_ going to sleep." House huffed.

"And just what would that thing be, baby?" Avery couldn't resist teasing House.

House let out a low chuckle that sent shivers down Avery's spine. "_You_ know."

"Hmmm…maybe you should tell me about it."

There was a short silence before House started speaking again. "Let's start with what you may or may not be wearing."

"Nothing special." Avery answered casually. "Just a t-shirt and my jammie pants."

"Good enough." House paused for a moment. "Let's see…You're already curled up next to me, so…maybe my hand would sneak up your shirt."

"Hmm…sounds good so far." Avery was beginning to enjoy this. "Then what?"

"I'd pull you on top of me so I could play with those beautiful breasts of yours." House's voice turned rougher. "Then that shirt would have to go."

"Next stop is those pants." He continued. "I'd untie them and push them right off you. Tell me what you've got on under those pants."

"Black thong." Avery answered, her own voice getting husky with desire.

"Excellent choice." House paused again. "Now that I've got those pants off of you, I can feel that gorgeous ass of yours. The thong looks so goddamn good on you, but…that's got to go, too. I want to see _all _of you."

Avery closed her eyes, imagining the whole scene. "I lean down and kiss you, sweet and slow at first. Then I start moving down, and you take off your t-shirt so I can run my nails over your chest. I know you like that."

"Hell, yeah." House's rough voice was getting Avery going as well. "Don't stop there, babe."

"If you insist." Avery laughed a little. "You're getting so hard already, and I haven't even touched you yet. All that's left is your boxers, so I take those off. You look damn good, baby."

"Do I?"

"You do." Avery told him firmly. "I move down and start sucking on you, nice and slow at first."

"I love that, babe." House groaned a little. "But I'm getting impatient. I want to get inside you."

"So…maybe I move up and start to put you inside me."

"First things first." House interrupted. "I want to play with you for a little bit. I've got you on your back now, and I'm fingering your clit. You're getting good and wet." He paused again. "Touch yourself."

Avery's breath caught in her throat as she reached inside her sleep pants and spread the folds of skin, rubbing her clit with two fingers. "Now what?"

She heard House gasp a little on the other end. "Goddamn, you're really doing it?"

"Mm-hm…" Avery answered softly.

"_Fuck_, that's hot." House growled a little. "If it were me…I'd stick a finger inside. Tell me how _that _feels."

Avery spread her legs a little and slipped a finger inside herself. "Warm…wet…ready for you."

"God…that's good." House sounded as if he was on the edge of coming. "I'm ready for you, too. I'm between your legs, sticking my hard dick inside you…I'm fucking you hard, and you're loving it."

"Mmmm…that feels so good, baby. Don't stop."

"Couldn't if I wanted to." House's voice was ragged, and Avery knew he was getting close.

Avery suddenly came with a soft moan, and she heard House's rough groan on the other end, followed by a hard sigh. "Goddammit, I miss you, babe."

"Mmm…I miss you, too."

There was a short pause. "Same time tomorrow night?"

Avery laughed softly. "Maybe not tomorrow night, but…soon."

"Good enough, babe." House was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "I love you. Sleep tight."

"I love you, too, baby." Avery's heart was warmed by House's simple words. "Talk to you soon."

House hung up, and Avery snapped her phone closed. After all that, she would have no problem sleeping tonight. None at all.

# # #

**Back over to you, dear readers. Don't wait as long to review as I did to update. :)**


	78. Everything Changes

**Yes, I know, it's been forever. A brief recap...Avery's in Chicago for her mother's birthday, House has a new H3, and he and Avery had some excellent phone sex. Cuddy is dating a benefactor she met at the Texas Hold'Em fundraiser many chapters ago. As usual, don't own House or any of the House characters.**

# # #

House dragged himself off his couch the next morning after a fitful night's sleep. Phone sex with Avery had been all well and good, but it was a poor substitute for the real thing. Besides, a telephone couldn't curl up to him and keep him warm afterward.

As a result, he had been up and down all night, alternating between bad TV, his piano, and his guitar, even going as far as to dig out one of his porn DVDs from his not-so-secret stash in his room. The reminders of his former lonely life pre-Avery hit him hard, and he had been half-tempted to place a phone call to his once familiar escort service just to have someone to sleep next to.

He hoped Avery might make it home early. It was turning into a difficult week, and it was only Tuesday.

He started a pot of coffee and headed into the guest bathroom for a quick shower. There was no time for a whirlpool soak this morning, as he was already running late. It wasn't nearly as pleasurable without Avery to share it with, anyway.

Even the new H3 did little to improve his mood as he parked it in his handicapped spot and made his way into the hospital. With any luck, he could make it to his office before anyone spotted him.

"House!" A familiar female voice killed that plan.

He sighed heavily. "Good morning, Your Heineyness. What medical anomaly do you have for me today?"

Cuddy seemed to ignore the jibe, presenting him with a case file. "Seventeen year old male presents with muscle pain and abdominal cramping after soccer practice."

House took the file, noting the ring that graced his boss's right hand. "Nice bling. You trade Rachel in for that?"

"No…" Cuddy smiled slightly and twisted the ring with her finger. "It was a gift."

"Huh." House nodded as he pored over the file. "I'll take it. The case, I mean."

"Good." She nodded firmly in response and crossed the lobby on her way to her own office.

He let her get almost to the clinic door before bellowing, "It's about goddamn time you started getting some. Maybe now you'll quit beating down my door."

He saw her back stiffen before she relaxed, shaking her head as she pushed through the clinic door and disappeared.

House smirked as he strode toward the elevator. His mood had already improved immensely now that balance had been restored to the universe. On top of that, he had a case to keep him distracted. Perhaps today wouldn't be such a difficult day after all.

# # #

House strode into his office, hanging up his coat and backpack before pushing his way into the conference room, where Taub, Thirteen, and Schaffer were already gathered.

"Good morning, minions." He passed copies of the case file around the table. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it…" He fixed Taub with a sharp glare. "…and you _will_…is a seventeen year old soccer player who started experiencing muscle pain and abdominal cramping after practice. ER has already ruled out dehydration, low potassium, and low blood sugar. Go."

The team spent the better part of an hour bouncing ideas around before House sent them off to get a patient history and preliminary bloodwork. He limped into his office and plopped down in his desk chair with a cup of coffee to check his e-mail and go over a couple of charts left over from his last couple of cases.

His office door creaked open to reveal Wilson, who wandered in with his hands in his pockets. "Pretty quiet around here."

"Minions are off sticking needles into my new patient." House explained, leaning back in his chair while taking off his glasses.

Wilson nodded. "How's Avery doing?"

House sighed a little. "Good, I guess. We talked…and stuff last night."

Wilson winced slightly. "Don't need to know about the 'and stuff'." He tilted his head at house. "Keeping busy while she's gone?"

"Trying." House huffed. "Kind of forgot what life was like without her."

Wilson smiled a little. "And…?"

"It sucked." House grumbled.

Wilson threw House a sympathetic look. "Well…I'm free for lunch if you are."

"Sounds good." House nodded. "I'll come find you if the kids don't come back with anything interesting."

With that Wilson left, leaving House in his office to look over his latest case file. Just as his mind started to wander, his pager went off.

He pulled it off his belt and glanced at the message, clipping it back on with a smile and pushing himself out of his desk chair. On his way to the elevator, he passed Wilson.

"Looks like you'll have to do lunch without me." He called out as he stepped on. "Patient's developed rectal bleeding."

"Good times." Wilson commented with a pained expression as the elevator doors closed.

House smirked a little to himself. There was a time when all he needed to keep himself occupied was a good medical puzzle. The obsession would overtake him, allowing him to block out the fact that there wasn't much going on beyond that.

His eyes had been opened when he had let Avery into his life, and now he couldn't imagine life without her. These couple of days on his own made it even more clear how different his life had been before her.

He sighed heavily. Goddamn, he missed her.

House shook off the thought as he stepped off the elevator and made his way to the patient's room. Taub and Schaffer were conferring with each other just outside, while Thirteen seemed to be discussing something with a family member.

"Short man, new kid, what's the scoop?" He barked as he approached.

"Patient is being prepped for surgery." Taub explained. "Hadley's going over the consent forms with the patient's mother."

"Any theories?"

"We've discussed a few…nothing concrete." Schaffer answered.

House huffed irritably and thumped his cane against the floor. "You two get back upstairs. Grab Thirteen on the way. I'll be there in a few."

The two doctors nodded and started toward the elevator, Taub gesturing to Thirteen as they passed. Soon House was alone in the hallway, and he pulled out his cell while he found a nearby bench.

After a couple of rings, a familiar voice answered. "Hey, baby."

House couldn't help but smile a little at the sound. "Hey, babe. How are things?"

"Good." Avery answered. "Mom and I are out having her birthday lunch." There was a brief pause, and House could just make out Catherine's musical voice in the background. "And Mom says hello."

"Same to her." House told her. "Guess I'll let you get back to lunch. Patient's going to keep me busy anyway."

"I'll try to call you later tonight." Avery replied. "A few of my girlfriends want to take me out, so I don't know how late they're going to keep me out."

House chuckled at the idea. "Have fun, babe. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you, too." House closed his phone and stuck it back in his pocket with a sigh before making his way to the elevator. He found it odd that every conversation with Avery made his loneliness worse instead of better.

He arrived back on the fourth floor and scanned his badge upon exiting the elevator. Raised voices from down the hall told him that his team had managed to come up with a few theories. Now it was time to step in, stop the squabbling, and move things in a more logical direction.

"Okay, kids, that's enough fighting." House huffed as he entered the conference room. "Can't leave you alone for five minutes. What have you got?"

Thirteen explained their divergent theories, and with a few well placed questions, House soon guided them all in one direction and sent them on their way to test while the patient was still in surgery.

He poured himself a cup of coffee and returned to his office, setting his mug on his desk before settling in to check his e-mail. Soon he heard his office door swing open. The distinctive smell of a dry Reuben got his attention, and he turned his head to see Wilson carrying a Styrofoam container.

"Thought you might have skipped lunch." Wilson explained, gesturing with the container. "Figured I'd grab this on the way back up."

House's stomach rumbled before he could answer, and he rolled his eyes as Wilson chuckled. "You're welcome."

"Yeah, thanks." House muttered as he accepted the container from Wilson's outstretched hand. He immediately dived in, completely absorbed in his meal and ignoring his best friend. After a short time, he realized that Wilson was still standing in front of his desk. House glanced up at him after swallowing a bite. "Something you want?"

Wilson shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "No. Just thinking."

"About what?"

Wilson shrugged. "I don't know…just…how things used to be. You know, before Matthews showed up."

"I already told you." House huffed in annoyance. "My life sucked."

"Not really." Wilson pointed out. "I mean, we got together, did things, hung out. Not saying things are better or worse now. They're just…different."

House wiped his mouth and tossed the napkin in a nearby wastebasket. "So what are you trying to say?"

Wilson sighed. "I don't know. In some weird way, I miss the way we used to be. I mean, obviously we've both kind of moved on, but…" He let out a short laugh. "You probably think I'm being an idiot."

"Well yeah, but that's normal." House answered. "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing I can't move around." Wilson replied. "What about your patient?"

"Why have minions if I'm not going to use them?" House countered with a slight smirk. "They can do without me for a few hours tonight."

Wilson nodded, a slight smile lighting his face. "Pretty sure the Devils are playing tonight."

"And you have an instant designated driver, so you can get as shitfaced as you want." House gestured expansively.

Wilson shuddered slightly. "Which probably won't be very, since I'm no longer trying to keep up with you."

House instantly sobered. "That's not a bad thing."

"Definitely not." Wilson answered, pausing briefly before continuing. "I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am that you got off the Vicodin and booze, House."

House twisted his mouth thoughtfully. "It's not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than it used to be." He shook his head briefly. "So find me before you leave. We'll figure the rest of it out."

"Sounds good, House." Wilson nodded before turning to leave.

The door closed behind him, leaving House alone with his thoughts. Both he and Wilson had gone through so many changes over these last couple of years, but some things between them remained the same.

House was relieved that he didn't have to fight with Kara for time with Wilson. She seemed to understand the bond between the two men, and seemed genuinely uninterested in playing mind games with House. Of course, House wasn't nearly as interested in playing those mind games as he used to be. Avery managed to fill a number of gaps in House's life, and therefore he didn't feel the need to invade Wilson's space nearly as much as he used to.

He and Wilson had finally managed to find some sort of balance in their lives. It was strange, but House was getting used to it.

The sound of House's beeping pager pulled him out of his thoughts, and he pulled it off his belt to read the message. A slow smile curved over his rough face. No matter what changed in his life, some things would always remain the same. He hoped his medical mysteries would be one of those things.

# # #

Wilson poked his head into House's office shortly before leaving for the evening, finding the other man poring over something at his desk. He briefly tapped on the door frame to get his attention.

House glanced up and waved him in, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "Heading out?"

"I was just about to." Wilson told him. "Are we still on for later?"

"As far as I know." House answered. "The patient's stable for now, and Schaffer's monitoring him tonight. What time does the game start?"

"Eight o'clock. There's a new sports bar down the street from Kara's place. From what I've heard, it's one hell of a place to watch a game."

"Sounds good." House nodded. "I'll meet you there."

Wilson nodded in response and let the office door close behind him. He was looking forward to just spending a few hours with his best friend. Between their respective relationships, they hadn't made a lot of time for that. Not that it seemed to bother House. The man was so wrapped up in Avery that he had hardly invaded Wilson's space at all.

He would be lying to himself if he didn't miss it, just a little. Wilson had gotten so used to House's dominant presence that when things started to change, he didn't know how to handle it. Initially, as things started to deepen between House and Avery, he had been jealous. Jealous that this woman had swept in and taken over what Wilson had always considered his duties as a friend, jealous that this woman was taking some of his time away from House.

Wilson sighed a little at the thought. It was odd to see the tables turned on him, but it was something that was bound to happen sooner or later. Despite his brief fit of jealousy, he still never regretted introducing House and Avery. The two were a terrific match, and watching their relationship grow and deepen was one of Wilson's true joys.

House had found love again, something Wilson was afraid would never happen for his friend. Not only had he found love, but he wasn't afraid to show it. He openly expressed his affection for Avery at nearly every opportunity, with little touches as they passed each other in the hallways and even the occasional bellowed words.

Even after all this time, Wilson was still amazed and occasionally amused by House's behavior. He had never been so open with Stacy, as far as Wilson could tell. Something in the other man had changed, made him more open with Avery. Wilson was hard pressed to put his finger on it.

Whatever it was, it made House much easier to deal with, especially now that things were obviously on secure footing between House and Avery. They had settled quite nicely into their condo, and the wedding plans were moving forward. It occurred to Wilson that the wedding wasn't far off. He made a note to himself to get together with Chase soon to start planning the bachelor party. Knowing House, and knowing Chase, it was bound to be something of a wild one. Wilson hoped he could temper the wildness just a little. He shuddered at the memory of wandering around drunk, sans pants, after Chase's bachelor party. He had no desire to put himself in such a compromising position ever again, especially after the way Cuddy had chewed him out the next day.

After a brief trip to his own apartment to pick up a few things, he drove to Kara's. Her car was parked out front, and Wilson pulled in right behind her. He found himself humming ever so slightly as he bounded up the steps and went inside, the smell of whatever Kara was cooking wafting to his nostrils.

"Hello?" He called out as he toed off his shoes.

"Kitchen!" She called out in response.

Wilson immediately made his way to the kitchen, where Kara was putting the finishing touches on a pasta dish. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and squeezed her shoulder. "Smells good."

"Chicken carbonara." Kara answered, turning her head and placing a hand on his cheek. "Should be ready soon."

"Good." He moved away and held up the small leather duffle bag. "I'm going to go change. Be right back."

Kara tilted her head, an amused expression on her face. "You brought more stuff?"

Wilson could feel his face heat up. "Is that a problem?"

"Of course not." Kara answered, crossing the kitchen to meet him. "I just think it's kind of funny how more and more of your stuff seems to be migrating over here." She pressed herself up on tiptoe to briefly kiss his lips. "I'm going to have to clear out another drawer before too long if this keeps up. And no, that's not a complaint."

Wilson could feel his heart thump a little harder in his chest at the idea. Was he truly moving on from Amber in every sense of the word, or was he just running away from the memory of Amber? He wasn't sure which, but he didn't feel like trying to analyze it just then. He returned Kara's kiss and quickly changed the subject. "I'm meeting House down at that sports bar tonight. Thought maybe I'd scope it out as a possible location for House's bachelor party."

Kara looked thoughtful before nodding. "Sounds like a plan. Have fun."

Wilson left the room and made his way to Kara's bedroom, pulling a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved polo shirt out of his bag before tucking the rest of his clothes into the drawer. Kara was right. The drawer was almost filled to bursting.

He pondered the idea of a more permanent arrangement with Kara, but he wasn't sure how she would take it. Kara was a fiercely independent woman, having put herself through nursing school after a bad break up. She was justifiably proud of the life she had created for herself, and it had taken some doing on Wilson's part to convince her to go out with him in the first place.

Finally she had, and the two of them found common ground almost immediately. Wilson found himself very quickly falling for her, and he was the one who had put the brakes on initially, not wanting to make the same mistakes he had in previous relationships. Not that Kara would have allowed that, anyway. She was nearly as cautious as Wilson was.

Now that they had settled in with each other somewhat, Wilson found himself looking ahead. He could see himself building a life with this woman. He still wasn't sure that she felt the same, but things seemed to be moving in that direction.

He chided himself for his thoughts. He was getting way ahead of himself here.

Wilson changed and returned to the kitchen, dishing himself a plate and sitting down at the table with Kara. She was already well into her meal, glancing up at him with a slight smile.

He returned the smile and tucked in, thoroughly enjoying every bite, eventually getting up for seconds. The two of them made idle conversation as they ate, and Wilson found himself wondering if they could make this work forever.

He let out a brief chuckle at the thought, causing Kara to regard him with a tilted head. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Wilson quickly recovered. "I was just…thinking."

"You seem to do that a lot." Kara observed with an amused expression. "What is it this time?"

Wilson paused, not sure if he wanted to express what was on his mind. Finally he shook his head. "Never mind. It's not that important."

Kara sighed and shook her head. "If it wasn't important, you wouldn't be thinking about it."

Wilson put down his fork and rested his elbows on the table, briefly covering his mouth with folded hands before moving them to speak. "I don't know. Just thinking about you…and me…and…" He shook his head. "Never mind. I'm probably rushing things."

Kara briefly glared at him. "Out with it, James."

Wilson huffed before continuing. "I keep thinking about you and me as a more…permanent thing. But you probably don't want that."

"How would you know?" Kara pointed out. "You've never asked."

The realization dawned on Wilson, and he could feel his face heat up. "Good point." He glanced over at her. "Well…?"

She met his eyes with a thoughtful expression. "I…wouldn't mind sharing more than a drawer with you, if you were so inclined." She laughed softly and shook her head. "I don't know, I'm not very good at this. I sort of…fall into things without much thought."

"Same here." Wilson answered softly, reaching across the table to grab her hand. "If we do decide to move forward, whatever that means, I want to do it consciously. I don't want to just…drift into it."

Kara smiled warmly and squeezed his hand in response. "I like that idea."

The clock on the wall chimed, and Kara quickly released Wilson's hand. "You'd better get going."

"Right." Wilson smiled warmly as he rose from the table to take his plate into the kitchen, stopping to drop a kiss on top of Kara's head. "I do love you, you know."

"I love you too, James." She answered. "Now go meet House."

Wilson quickly took care of his plate and found shoes and a jacket, nearly bounding as he walked the short distance to the sports bar. Maybe he was finally starting to move on from Amber. It would be about damn time he did.

# # #

**Back to to you, dear readers. Don't take as long to review as I did to update.**


	79. Back Home Again

**Yep, updated this one again. Miracle of miracles. :D As usual, I don't own the ridiculously sexy House.**

# # #

Avery's phone chimed just as she finished dressing. She quickly grabbed it from the bathroom sink, smiling widely as she saw who the caller was.

"Hey, Ramona."

"Avery, where the hell are you, girl?" Ramona demanded. "We're all here waiting for you."

"I'm on my way." Avery laughed.

"Well, hurry up." Ramona told her. "The boys are ready to start performing. They aren't going to wait for you, honey."

"As soon as I get off this phone, I'm gone." Avery answered as she wiggled into her shoes. "I'll see you when I get there."

They hung up, and Avery checked her hair and make-up one more time before deciding she was suitable. Ramona hadn't told her what she had in mind, but knowing her, it was likely to be a wild time. 'The boys' could mean any number of things.

Avery found her purse and keys and started to leave, stopping to give her father a brief hug. "Don't wait up for me. Ramona's going to keep me out late, I'm sure."

Stephen chuckled and patted Avery's hand. "Have a good time, love. See you in the morning."

As soon as she climbed into her mother's car, her phone started singing 'Whatta Man'. She flipped it open as she backed out of the driveway. "Hey, baby. What's going on?"

"Not much." House sighed softly. "Waiting for Wilson. He's supposed to meet me at this new sports bar, but…I think he's busy getting busy with Kara."

"Oh, really." Avery laughed.

"Yes, _really_." House answered, mimicking Avery's tone precisely. "And what are you doing tonight?"

"My girlfriend Ramona's throwing me a little bachelorette party." Avery told him. "But she won't tell me any specifics. All she said was that 'the boys' were ready to perform."

House snorted. "Sounds like the Chippendales to me."

Avery groaned slightly. "I hope not. Strippers really aren't my thing."

"Of course not." House replied casually. "Not when you've got the real deal at home." His voice dropped to a low, seductive tone. "And you know I'll strip for you any time you want."

Avery couldn't help letting out a girlish giggle at that. Even from halfway across the country, he still had the power to make her knees weak. "I'm going to call you on that when I get home."

"Then I say…" House nearly whispered into the phone. "Hurry the hell up and get home already. I miss you."

"I miss you too." Avery replied, her heart melting at House's heartfelt admission. "Maybe I'll make it home earlier than I planned."

"I'm good with that." House told her. "Time for me to go. Wilson finally showed up."

"Have fun, baby." Avery answered. "I love you."

"Love you too, babe." House responded, the warmth and affection in his voice obvious. "You have fun, too…but not too much."

With that they hung up, and Avery soon pulled up to the address Ramona had given her earlier. It didn't look like a strip club, but looks could be deceiving.

She strode inside, where Ramona immediately jumped up, waving her arms wildly. "Avery! Over here!"

The person working the door nodded and allowed her to go through, and she joined Ramona and several other longtime Chicago friends at a table.

"Girl, you're just in time." Ramona declared. "You almost missed the opening."

"I'm glad I didn't miss anything." Avery laughed as she gave her friend a quick squeeze. "How are things?"

"Fine, fine." Ramona waved a hand around. "This night isn't about me. I want to hear about _you_."

"Not to mention that fine man you landed in Jersey." Barb, another friend of Avery's, spoke up. "Since you couldn't drag him along, you'd damn well better have some pictures of him."

Avery smiled widely and pulled out her wallet, opening it and pulling out a small stack of pictures. Most of them were from the housewarming, but there were a couple from Hadley's and Foreman's wedding as well.

She handed them over, and Barb started looking them over, nodding in approval as she passed them on. More murmurs of approval followed until Ramona got hold of them, her smile growing wider with each picture until she reached the last one.

"Where was this taken?"

Avery took the photo, a smile curving across her face. "That's the front porch of our condo. Greg's friend took the picture."

"Well, girl, let me tell you." Ramona told her. "You did good. That is one fine, _fine_ man."

"I heard that." Barb chimed in. "Does he have any brothers?"

"Sorry, he's an only child." Avery laughed as she collected the pictures, going through them and arranging them. The one on their porch was a special favorite of hers. House wore a full smile as he crossed his arms over her chest, his long legs splayed out on either side of her.

Yes, he was definitely a handsome man. Not only that, but he was a good man, kind and caring despite his rough demeanor.

A little pang went through her, and she tucked the pictures back into her wallet with a little sigh. It was a move that didn't go unnoticed.

"Girl, if I had that at home, I'd be missing him too." Ramona commented as the others murmured in agreement. "But tonight is _not _about him. This night's all about you finally saying goodbye to your life as a single woman. For real this time."

She flagged down a waitress to order a round of drinks, and soon each woman had a drink in front of her, and talk soon drifted to old times and good memories.

Avery missed these women. She was in regular e-mail contact with most of them, but it wasn't the same as getting together with them to laugh and gossip and drink. She silently made a vow to not only find a way to visit these friends more often, but to reach out and make more connections like this back in Princeton.

The lights dimmed, and Ramona shushed them all as the lights came up on the stage. Loud music pumped through the loudspeakers as the curtain came up, revealing six beefy men dressed in bow ties and pants.

Avery sighed a little. She knew Ramona meant well, but male strippers just never did anything for her. Still, her friends were having a good time, and their spirit was infectious.

As the night wore on, the wine started affecting her more and more. She hadn't gotten so tipsy since the New Year's party she and House had attended almost a year ago. Had it really been that long? It felt like no time had elapsed for them at all, and yet it felt like they had been together forever. They were soul mates, in nearly every sense of the word. Avery could no longer imagine her life without that tall, blue-eyed, roughly handsome man.

A shadow loomed over her, and Avery nearly dropped her wine glass while her friends laughed and teased in response. One of the strippers was standing over her, a warm smile spread across his dark and handsome face. He was a well-built man, a little beefier than Avery preferred her men, but he was still a nice looking man all the same.

"I understand you're getting married soon." The man had a deep voice that almost reminded Avery of House's low tone from earlier.

She nodded mutely, and the man handed her a single rose. "May I offer my congratulations…and a special dance just for you."

A spotlight shone down on the man as he started dancing for her, slowly at first as her friends and the other patrons cheered and screamed. He hovered over her, never once touching her, and Avery suddenly felt rather uncomfortable.

It wasn't a moral dilemma by any means. The whole thing was just…odd. This whole male stripper thing wasn't nearly as exciting as everyone made it out to be.

The man finished his dance, and Avery dutifully tucked a few dollar bills into his g-string, fixing him with a polite smile. He stood to his full height and blew her a kiss, much to the delight of the other women at the table.

"Girl, that was a hoot." Ramona announced after the show ended and the lights came up over the bar. "You should have seen your face."

The other women laughed and commented in agreement as they ordered one more round of drinks. When each woman had a drink in her hand, Ramona stood to give a toast, nearly falling over in the process.

"Avery, I can't even say how much I've missed you." She told her. "I'm happy for you, because you hooked up with that fine-ass doctor, but I still miss you. I can't believe that you're getting married for _real_."

Ramona raised her glass. "To Avery and her new life. May it be a long and happy one."

A chorus of cheers went up among the women at the table as they clinked glasses and savored the last of their drinks before saying their goodnights and stumbling out, laughing and chatting, into the night.

One noisy, chatty cab ride later, Avery arrived at her parents' house. She gave Ramona a hearty, affectionate squeeze.

"Thank you for the party." She told her long-time friend. "I had a good time."

"I'm glad, girl." Ramona laughed. "I know you're not really into the strippers, but it's a tradition thing. I had to do it."

"It's all good." Avery answered. "You free for lunch tomorrow?"

"For you? Damn right." Ramona responded. "Call me when you wake up. We'll go after the car."

Avery carefully stepped out of the cab and made her way up the steps to her parents' house. She almost felt as if she were back in college again, coming in after many a late night during her summer breaks.

Her father was still in the living room, dozing lightly in his chair. He woke with a start when Avery closed the door.

"Hello, love." Stephen looked over his glasses at her. "Good to see you made it home."

Avery giggled as she planted a kiss on his forehead. "I have to go after Mom's car tomorrow. Ramona and I are supposed to do lunch, so we'll pick it up then."

"I'm sure it will be no problem, dear." Stephen told her. "Better to leave it and make it home safely."

"See you in the morning." Avery stumbled slightly up the stairs to her room, changing into her sleep clothes and twisting her hair up into a bun before collapsing into bed.

After a few minutes of tossing and turning, she found her phone and pushed a couple of buttons.

"Hey, babe." House's rumbling voice answered on the first ring. "Have a good time?"

"Of course." Avery laughed as she slipped under the covers. "Ramona made sure of that."

There was a brief pause before House let out a low chuckle. "You're wasted."

"I am not _wasted_." Avery protested. "I don't get wasted. I just…had more than normal."

"Right. Kind of like New Year's." House teased her. "You weren't drunk then, either." His tone of voice dropped again. "But you were one hell of a good time."

"Mmm…" Avery recalled that evening. She didn't remember a good deal of it, but she remembered feeling very…loose, almost boneless in a way that had nothing to do with what House did to her. "I wish you were here now. We could have a good time like that again."

"Hmm…" House sounded as if he were pondering the idea. "I could go for a little trip down memory lane. Or…we could create some new ones."

"I like that." Avery was already tingling. Whether it was the wine, House's voice, or some combination thereof, she wasn't entirely sure. "I'll start this time."

"Please do."

"Let's see…" Avery pondered the thought. "You know that whole little strip show you were proposing?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'd like some of that." Avery told him. "What are you wearing?"

House chuckled. "Dark blue button down shirt, black t-shirt, jeans. Same as I usually wear."

"Oh, I love that shirt. Brings out your eyes, baby." Avery dropped her voice to a whisper. "But it's got to go. Nice and slow."

"Done. Now what?"

"T-shirt." Avery was feeling bolder. "I want to run my fingers through your chest hair."

"Do I get to do anything here?"

"Hmm…I suppose." Avery laughed. "Go ahead. I'm in my tank and sleep pants."

"Excellent choice." House told her, his voice growing husky with desire. "I think I should peel that tank right off of you. I want to play with those luscious breasts of yours…get those nipples all nice and hard with my fingers…then suck on them."

"Ooh…that sounds good." Avery could feel her desire growing. "And I think it's time those jeans came off. They look damn good on you…but they look better off you."

House let out a low groan in Avery's ear. "Baby, are you starting something without me?"

"Maybe." He rasped.

"Well now, hold on." Avery reached inside her sleep pants and started rubbing, the flesh hardening under her fingers.

"You'd better be touching yourself, babe." House growled. "Wish I was there to do it for you…I'd use a hell of a lot more than my fingers."

"Oh yeah?" Avery asked softly. "Better tell me about it."

"I'd start with my fingers." House told her. "I'd rub your clit until it was all nice and hard, then I'd go deep inside you. You're all nice and wet, aren't you?"

"Of course." Avery kept going. "You make me that way."

"What way?"

"All wet…and hot."

House let out a hiss on the other end. "Goddamn. That's good, babe. You ready for me?"

"Yes." Avery was nearly on the edge of coming, and she closed her eyes at the sensation.

"I'm going in." He told her roughly. "Take off those pants so I can go all the way inside you." He groaned a little. "God, you always feel so good."

"Same here." Avery couldn't hold back anymore, and she released with a soft cry. House followed not long after with a rough moan of his own.

"Babe…" He murmured after a few moments. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too." She told him softly. "I think I'm going to try to come home early."

"That'd be great." House answered. "Not that this phone sex thing isn't incredibly hot, but…it's not the same without you here. Can't curl up to a telephone." There was a brief pause. "I mean, I suppose I could, but it'd look pretty fucking ridiculous."

Avery let out a girlish laugh. "I can't wait to get home."

"I can't wait to see you." House paused briefly. "Suppose I'd better get to bed. Still have a case waiting for me."

"Okay, baby." Avery answered. "I love you."

"Love you too, babe." House replied with what sounded like a pensive sigh before ending the call.

Avery curled up under the blankets with a sigh of her own. She tossed and turned for a few minutes before finally finding a comfortable position. It wasn't easy, since she'd gotten so used to curling up to House most nights.

It wasn't perfect, but it would do. Suddenly the idea of going home early sounded better and better.

# # #

The next couple of days passed quickly as Avery got together with friends and spent time with her family. She finally decided to leave on Friday afternoon, much to her parents' slight disappointment.

"It seems like you just got here, dear." Catherine told her over breakfast that morning.

"I know, but it won't be too long and you'll be there for the wedding." Avery reminded her.

"True." Catherine nodded in agreement. "Promise you'll talk to Greg about Christmas. We'd love to see him."

"I will." Avery replied. She still wasn't sure House would agree to the idea, but it was worth a shot, especially since he no longer had family of his own.

By mid-afternoon, Avery was packed and saying her goodbyes to her father while her mother drove her to the airport. Catherine grabbed her in a quick hug before she went through security.

"I love you." Catherine told her. "I'll see you in a month."

"See you then, Mom." Avery answered. "I love you, too."

It was a mercifully short plane ride, and she soon landed in Newark, making her way to the parking lot in the growing darkness. The night was cool, but not cold, and Avery enjoyed the sensation as she placed her suitcase in the trunk and started for home.

Avery had decided she would tell no one about her plans, hoping she could surprise House. While she knew that was nearly impossible most of the time, this might be the one time anyone succeeded.

As she pulled into the driveway, she pulled up his number in her contacts. House answered on the first ring.

"Evening, babe."

"And good evening to you, too." Avery let out a soft laugh. "How's your night?"

"Lonely." He told her. "I miss you."

"You say that every night."

"That's because it's true every night." House countered. "You're home Sunday, right?"

"Maybe." Avery smiled as she shut off the car and quietly let herself in. She decided not to enter through the garage, as the noise of the garage door might tip him off. "You never know…I might make it home sooner."

"That'd be cool."

"I'll see what I can do." Avery told him as she slipped through the living room and into the kitchen, toeing off her shoes along the way. "I've got to go. Talk to you soon."

"Okay. I'll see you Sunday…or sooner." House replied. "Love you, babe."

"I love you too. Bye." Avery closed her phone and tucked it in her pocket, pouring herself a glass of wine before sliding open the door to the patio.

House had his IPod cranked up, and Avery could hear it from where she was standing. No wonder he hadn't heard her come in.

She set down her glass of wine and covered his eyes. House was so startled he nearly jumped out of his chair, pulling out his ear buds and tilting his head back.

"Surprise." Avery whispered.

"Hey, you." House's rough face broke into a wide grin.

"Hey, yourself."

House pushed himself out of the chair and limped around to where Avery stood, finding a song on his IPod and sticking one ear bud in his ear before sticking the other in Avery's.

"Baby, what are you doing?"

"I believe most cultures call this dancing." House told her as he pulled her into his arms and started swaying to the music. "Figure if I start practicing now, I'll be in good shape for the wedding."

"I'd say your most of the way there." Avery answered before laying her head on his chest, thrilling to the sound of his strong, steady heartbeat. It was moments like this she had most missed while she was away.

After the song ended, they went inside and curled up together on the couch with the remains of House's Chinese food and a movie, their Friday night tradition.

The long day of traveling finally took its toll on Avery, and she found her eyes involuntarily closing as she laid her head in House's lap. The last thing she remembered as she fell asleep was House's affectionate smile and his rough hand stroking her hair.

She settled in with a contented sigh. Chicago had been fun, but it was good to be home with House again. Very good indeed.

# # #

**And now it's back to you, dear readers. Read and review.**


	80. Stuck With You

**Back again with my usual disclaimers. Don't own House or any other House characters, just happy that David Shore lets me borrow them for my own entertainment.**

# # #

House awakened the next morning to find Avery curled up next to him, her arm spread across his chest and her leg thrown over his. It was so intimate, so familiar, and House found himself letting out a contented sigh.

It was funny, House thought, that he of all people could find a measure of contentment in the calm domesticity he and Avery had settled into. Never in a million years did House imagine he would find himself in that position. Even with Stacy, there had been some distance between them, something that kept them from enjoying the intimacy that he and Avery had.

He shifted slightly and smoothed his hand along Avery's arm, simply watching her sleep. She stirred under his touch, her soft brown eyes opening slowly, a little smile curving across her face.

"Good morning, baby."

"Morning." House leaned over her and gave her a quick kiss, wrapping himself more fully around Avery. "Glad you made it back early. I was going a little stir-crazy without you."

"I missed you, too." Avery kissed him more fully. "So, we have a weekend to ourselves. Do you have anything special in mind?"

House turned the question over in his mind while he pulled Avery in closer. "I wouldn't mind going back out to the bed and breakfast. You know, just to check in on things."

"Of course." Avery nodded in agreement. "It's coming up fast, isn't it?"

"Yeah." House couldn't help the smile that kept tugging at his face whenever he thought about the wedding. "You know that Wilson, Chase and I are getting fitted for the monkey suits next week."

"Good." Avery laughed. "I'm having my final fitting near the end of the week."

"What about Cameron?" House asked. "That woman's getting rounder every time I see her. She's going to explode out of that dress."

"She is not." Avery smacked House on the arm. "And her final fitting isn't until just before the wedding, just to make sure everything fits like it should."

House nodded, his thoughts circling in his head. "Have you ever regretted not settling down sooner?"

"I don't know." Avery shifted. "What about you?"

House shrugged in response. "I suppose not. I wouldn't have met you otherwise."

"Well, there's your answer." Avery smiled. "If I had settled down sooner, I never would have come to Princeton, and we never would have met."

"And we wouldn't be getting hitched." House murmured, leaning in to capture Avery's lips in a long, lingering kiss.

She let out a little sigh as House pushed her over to her back, breaking away from her mouth to work his way down her throat. He tugged at her tank top with a little growl. "Get rid of this thing, babe. It's in the way."

Avery quickly disposed of the tank top, and House cupped one breast appreciatively, lightly stroking the nipple with his thumb while leaning down to run his tongue over the other. The response was immediate as Avery arched her back and moaned softly.

House slid his hand from Avery's breast, moving down her stomach and just under the waistband of her sleep pants. Avery squirmed slightly under his touch, and House slid his hand in further, spreading the folds of skin with his fingers to find the wetness and warmth he was so familiar with now.

He worked his way back up her neck to her ear, nipping at it lightly as he continued to gently rub at the rapidly hardening nub of flesh. He could feel Avery shift slightly, and he glanced down to see her taking off her remaining clothes. She kicked them aside and spread her legs further, arching into House's touch with soft little noises of pleasure.

House shifted so that he was between her legs, taking in the lovely woman that had spread herself before him. He couldn't help but wonder, just a little, at the forces that had brought them together and kept them together. Forces that made House damn near pine for Avery the whole time she was gone. That hadn't happened to him in years, if ever.

Avery's eyes fluttered open, a puzzled expression crossing her face. "What's wrong?"

"Not a thing, babe." House slowly moved so that he was hovering over her center, one hand on Avery's stomach and the other still playing with her. He pressed a kiss into the hair that surrounded her core while sliding a finger inside her.

Avery gasped sharply at that, and House dipped down to drag his tongue over her hardened flesh, moving his finger inside her. She was getting close, he could tell, but he wanted to make this last as long as he possibly could.

He continued his tease, bringing Avery closer and closer to the edge without actually letting her go over. Finally House couldn't take it anymore himself, and he pulled away to make his way back up Avery's body.

She looked up at him, those soft coffee brown eyes filled with wanting. House leaned in for a long, lingering kiss, slipping his tongue into Avery's mouth. Avery responded with equal force, and House could feel her hands smooth down his body to tug at his sleep pants.

Together they managed to get the damn things off, and House guided his hardened shaft inside her, groaning a little as her softness and warmth surrounded him. He rocked hard into her, ignoring the twinge of pain that shot through his leg. This was worth every bit of pain, so worth it.

Avery moaned softly, wrapping her arms and legs around him as he pumped into her, both of them coming ever closer to the satisfaction they both sought.

Finally he could feel her squeeze around him, a soft sound escaping her as she came, and he unloaded with a rough groan, pressing into her as he rode it out. House relaxed against Avery with a soft sigh.

"Are you okay, baby?" Avery asked him gently as she caressed his back.

House let out a short chuckle, shifting slightly to give Avery a quick kiss. "I just made wild hot monkey love to the woman I haven't seen in damn near a week. I'm definitely okay now."

Avery's hand moved to his leg, caressing lightly. "I meant this."

House huffed and rolled off Avery to lie beside her. "Yeah, it's hurting a little. Nothing I can't handle." He smoothed a hand over her body before leaning in for another kiss. "And it was totally worth it."

Avery laughed softly and turned toward him, sliding an arm over House's waist. He pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You know what? I think I've changed my mind."

"About what?"

"About going to the bed and breakfast." House answered. "I think I'd rather just hang out here with you."

"Are you sure?" Avery lifted her head and gave him a questioning look.

"Sure." House shrugged. "Think about it. We've got the bed, we've got the whirlpool tub, and as for breakfast…" He kissed the tip of her nose. "I think I've already had that. Matter of fact…I might be up for a mid-morning snack before too long."

Avery laughed and shook her head. "You're a mess."

"And you love it." House replied. "So how about it? Up for a little weekend 'staycation'?"

"I like that idea." Avery answered with a warm smile. "Why don't we start with some coffee in the tub?"

"Sounds good, babe." House smiled at the thought of the two of them sharing coffee, conversation, and whatever else might come up during a soak in the tub. "I'll go fire it up while you make coffee."

They separated, and House pushed himself into a sitting position while Avery threw on a robe and left the room. He rubbed his thigh briefly before reaching for his meds, taking them with the ever present bottle of water on the bedside table.

Yes, it was hurting, but not nearly as much as it used to. Matter of fact, he couldn't remember the last time his leg had registered much beyond a four on the pain scale. If this was as bad as it ever got, House figured he could live with it. It was nothing like the old days, when the damn thing had throbbed painfully day in and day out despite the ever increasing amount of Vicodin he threw down to handle it.

Those were dark days, and House was only too happy to leave them behind. Now he had a future to look forward to, a future that included the unbelievable woman that shared his life. It wouldn't be long now, less than a month before they exchanged vows and would be bound forever.

The thought scared House a little. Forever was a long damned time to stick with one person. He had little doubt that he would hold on to Avery as long as he possibly could, but would Avery feel the same way? Granted, she had already stuck with him through some difficult times, but it had been a relatively short time in the grand scheme of things. If all went well, they could be with each other for a good twenty years or so. Would Avery be willing to stick with him that long?

He huffed irritably as he pushed himself off the bed and limped into the bathroom to start the tub. Soon the tub was filled with warm, swirling water, and he eased himself in with a sigh.

The smell of fresh coffee made him open his eyes, and Avery was setting down two mugs, shedding the robe and climbing in to rest against House's chest.

Most of House's doubts evaporated in that moment. He took a long sip from his mug, setting it down before wrapping both arms around Avery and planting a kiss on top of her head. She responded with a contented sigh, placing a hand over his while she sipped at her own coffee.

"This is nice, isn't it?" She spoke softly.

"It is." House agreed. After a short silence, he spoke again. "So…not too much longer before you're stuck with me forever."

Avery laughed softly. "And you'll be stuck with me, too. It goes both ways, baby."

House snorted. "Seems like you're putting up with way more from me than I do from you."

"I disagree." Avery turned so that she was kneeling between House's legs. "You're a very different man now than you were when we first met."

"Am I?"

"Yes." Avery told him firmly, leaning in for a kiss. "You were a hard man. Most people wouldn't get within ten feet of you."

"But you did." House answered. "Why?"

Avery tilted her head thoughtfully. "At first it was just as a favor to your friend. But the more time I spent with you…the more I got to know you…and the more I got to like you."

House reached up to stroke Avery's face. "And now?"

"And now…you are very much stuck with me. Now and forever."

House curved his hand around the back of Avery's neck, pulling her in for a long, sweet, gentle kiss. Most of his doubts evaporated in that moment, replaced by the calm comfort this woman so often managed to bring to him. If this is what being stuck with Avery meant, House could deal with it…now and forever.

# # #

The next couple of weeks were a flurry of activity for both House and Avery. House had two cases almost back to back that kept him at the hospital much of the time, leaving Avery to deal with the seemingly endless last minute details that kept coming up.

She had just gotten off the phone with the bed and breakfast after giving them the final head count for the reception and confirming the menu for both the reception and the rehearsal dinner when someone knocked on her office door.

"Come in." She called out, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes.

The door opened to reveal Wilson, who poked his head in and looked around. "Is House here?"

"I haven't heard him bellow in the hallway in at least two hours." Avery answered. "I assume he's still with the patient.

"Good." Wilson looked relieved as he entered, followed closely behind by Chase. "We wanted to talk to you."

Avery arched an eyebrow at the two men. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Chase assured her. "We're just planning House's bachelor party, and we wanted to run a few ideas by you."

Avery leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk. "Let's hear them."

"We were thinking of making it an overnight trip." Wilson ventured. "Atlantic City."

Avery nodded. "It sounds very much like something Greg would like. I don't see a problem."

Chase gave Wilson a nervous glance before turning back to Avery. "Gambling, strippers, and copious amounts of alcohol will most likely be part of the festivities. Well, not so much the alcohol for House, but the gambling and the strippers, very much so."

Avery let out a tiny laugh, meeting both men with a warm smile. "And when were you planning this weekend of debauchery?"

"Next Friday." Chase answered. "Only problem will be if House gets a case."

Avery frowned, then an idea came to her. "I'll talk to Cuddy. If she doesn't give him a case, he'll be free. That way you'll be free to happily corrupt him for the night."

Both men snorted. "You've never had a bachelor party courtesy of House." Chase told her. "Trust me, he's already been corrupted."

"Well then, it should be a fun night for all of you." Avery grabbed her purse from her bottom drawer and rose from her chair. "Just make sure he doesn't get arrested."

"No promises." Wilson muttered.

The three of them walked out of her office and headed toward the elevators. She could hear House's voice as the elevator came to their floor, and as soon as the doors opened, House stormed out, followed by a rather shamefaced Schaffer, Taub, and Thirteen.

"When you're finished filling out the case file, drop it off with Cuddy." He hollered at them as they headed back to Diagnostics. "Oh, and while you're in the neighborhood, you three can split my clinic hours."

He quickly turned and joined Wilson, Chase, and Avery in the elevator, briefly squeezing Avery's hand as he leaned against the back of the car. "So, babe, free for lunch?"

"I wish I was." Avery replied, squeezing House's hand in return. "I'm meeting Cameron for her final dress fitting, and then we're doing a little baby shopping."

House rolled his eyes and leaned across to the other two men. "How about you two? Either one of you free, or are you on a man-date?"

Chase opened his mouth, but Wilson spoke first. "I'm free. I'm pretty sure Chase is due back in surgery. Aren't you?"

Chase quickly nodded. "Right. Surgery. I'm due to scrub in soon."

Avery suppressed a little smile when House narrowed his eyes. If Wilson and Chase intended to keep their bachelor party plans a secret, they were both doing a terrible job.

The elevator opened, and Avery pressed herself on tiptoe to give House a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you at home, baby."

"You can do better than that, woman." House growled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her full on the lips. "And you're damn right you'll see me. I've hardly seen you the last couple of weeks. You'd better be ready for me."

"Oh, I will." Avery laughed softly before breaking away and leaving House behind her.

She soon met Cameron at the bridal shop, and the sales clerk directed them downstairs to where the dresses were tailored and fitted. The clerk easily found Cameron's dress and led her to a dressing room to try it on.

For a few minutes, all was quiet aside from the rustling of fabric. Finally Cameron called out, "Avery, can you help me with this stupid zipper?"

"Of course." Avery entered the dressing room, where Cameron was struggling with the ruby-colored dress. The younger woman let out a long sigh.

"This is insane." Cameron complained. "I look like an oversized…I don't know. Just oversized."

"You look beautiful." Avery assured her. "Now how does it fit?"

Cameron wrinkled her nose. "A little loose, but not too bad. I hope it still fits in two weeks."

"It will." Avery squeezed Cameron's shoulders.

A tap on the door was followed by the attendant poking her head into the dressing room. "How are we doing?"

"_We_ are just fine." Cameron laughed, patting her growing belly. "_I'm _not so sure about this dress."

The attendant entered and fussed with the dress, stepping back and nodding approvingly. "You've got a little room to grow. I think it will be just fine."

Cameron sighed, finally nodding. "Okay, then I suppose I'm okay with it, too." She turned to Avery. "We should take one last look at your dress."

Avery was sorely tempted, but unsure. "Oh, I'm sure it's not even ready yet."

"I could check if you wanted." The attendant offered. "What's the name?"

"Matthews."

The attendant turned and left, and Cameron got dressed. By the time she was dressed, there was a rustling of fabric, and the attendant returned with Avery's dress over her arm. "I believe this is it. Would you like to try it on?"

Avery sighed. "Might as well."

She quickly undressed and slipped into the wedding dress while Cameron zipped her up in the back. It was a tight fit, but not uncomfortable, and Avery finally turned to look in the mirror.

She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. The dress was perfect. Cameron squealed and grabbed Avery's shoulders, unable to contain her excitement.

"You look beautiful!" Cameron exclaimed. "I can't wait to see House's face when he sees you walking down the aisle."

"It won't be long now." Avery answered, her own excitement bubbling to the surface.

"But it's been a long time coming." Cameron told her, and Avery could see the tears shining in the young woman's eyes. "I'm so happy for you two. You're so good for him."

"He's good for me, too." Avery replied. "People seem to forget that."

"You've always been a good, kindhearted person." Cameron explained. "House…well, let's just say he's had some rough times that hardened him. It's just easier to see the changes in him than it is in you."

"Good point." Avery nodded. "Now get me out of this thing and let's go eat. I'm starving."

"That's usually my line." Cameron laughed as she undid Avery's zipper.

The two women left the bridal salon and met at a nearby restaurant, chatting and gossiping over their lunch.

"So." Cameron wiped her mouth on her napkin. "We need to do something for you."

Avery arched an eyebrow. "For what?"

"A bachelorette party." Cameron patiently explained. "Chase told me he and Wilson were planning on taking House to Atlantic City. We should do something for you while he's off being…House."

Avery cringed a little. If Cameron was planning anything like what Ramona had for her, Avery would gladly pass. "My friends in Chicago tricked me into a male strip show. Not an experience I wish to repeat."

Cameron frowned thoughtfully. "What would you like to do?"

Now it was Avery's turn to think. Finally it occurred to her. "A girls' night in. Take out, chick flicks, and as much or as little alcohol as we wish to consume."

Cameron's eyes lit up. "I _love_ that idea. Now where should we have it? I'd offer my place, but it's so tiny." She tilted her head in thought. "I'll have to get back to you on that."

They continued discussing the plans all through lunch and the brief shopping trip before separating to return to the hospital. As she returned to her office, Avery couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. No male strippers this time around, just Avery and a few…friends? She wasn't sure if she could call her work colleagues friends. Cameron definitely qualified, but she hadn't made an effort to get to know many other people in her time here.

At the end of the day, Avery wrapped things up and left for home. When she pulled into the driveway and hit the button for the garage door opener, she could hear rock music at full volume.

A smile curved across her face as she pulled in. House was sitting behind the wheel of his H3, bobbing his head and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Avery shut off the Forester and climbed out, rounding the end of her vehicle to tap on House's window.

House looked startled at first, but the expression changed to a full smile as he turned down the music and opened the door. "Hey, babe. Where have you been?"

"I took a long lunch, so I stayed a little later." Avery answered, pressing a kiss to House's lips. "What are you doing out here?"

"I seem to remember a certain cardiologist mentioning something about adding this thing to the 'christening list'." House swung his legs out of the SUV and hopped out, wrapping his arms around Avery.

"Baby, it's December." Avery laughed. "I thought you'd want to wait until it was warmer."

"It'll be warm enough." House declared, pulling her in closer. "Besides…you know I'll have you warmed up in no time."

"True enough." Avery murmured.

House released her and limped to the back of the SUV, opening the door and heaving himself inside. He held out a hand to Avery. "Coming in?"

Avery waved House off and easily climbed in, closing the door behind her before lying down next to House.

"See, told you." House murmured, pulling her in and kissing the top of her head. "Plenty of room."

Avery pressed a firm kiss to House's lips, and it wasn't long before clothes were scattered everywhere. House pulled Avery on top of him, his hands smoothing over her body while they kissed fervently, all the desire that had building these last couple of weeks finally coming out.

Finally House guided himself inside Avery, and they rocked together until they both went over the edge. Afterward, Avery rested her head on House's chest, listening to his heart as it finally slowed down to its usual steady beat.

He let out a long sigh, pulling one of their coats over them. "I haven't done anything like that in thirty years, you know that?"

"Is that right?" Avery laughed. "I won't say how long it's been for me. Don't want to tell on myself."

"Right." House chuckled. "Wouldn't want the world to know what an old biddy you are."

"Exactly." Avery answered firmly.

They were silent for a long moment as House caressed her back with a large hand. "Happy birthday, by the way."

Avery lifted her head. "My birthday was over a week ago."

"Was it?" House frowned. "Shit."

"You're forgiven, baby." Avery reached up to give him a brief kiss. "You've been a little preoccupied."

"Hmm…guess I've got to make it up to you." House looked down at her. "How about a wedding and a kick-ass honeymoon?"

"That'll work." Avery replied. "And you can start working toward next year."

House started to speak, but was interrupted by the sounds of 'Dancing Queen' singing from his phone. He managed to find it and answer it. "What?"

House nodded his head toward the garage opening while Wilson was talking. Avery looked up to see Wilson's Volvo parked in their driveway. She had neglected to close the garage door behind her.

Avery couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. House's expression changed from one of mild horror to one of amusement at Avery's laughter. "We've been having hot sex in the H3. Give us a few minutes."

He closed his phone and tossed it aside, flopping back down with a sigh. "Did you know Wilson was going to stop by?"

"I had no idea." Avery answered.

There was silence for a moment before House started laughing. Before long Avery joined him, and they enjoyed the moment while still wrapped in each other's arms.

Avery started to get up, but House pulled her back down. "Baby, don't you think we've kept him waiting long enough?"

"I kept him waiting for three hours once." House told her. "He'll be fine for a few more minutes."

Avery sighed and shook her head, lying against House's shoulder. She would find a way to make things up to Wilson…in a few minutes.

# # #

**Now back over to you. Read and review.**


	81. It's Time To Party

**Finally made it back over this way. RL's been kicking my butt in a big way. All my usual disclaimers apply.**

# # #

Monday morning found House striding into the hospital, nearly whistling with joy. He and Avery had spent the majority of the weekend simply relaxing and enjoying each other's company, taking time out on Saturday night to celebrate her birthday by seeing a play and going out for dinner.

Dessert had been a take-home affair. House smiled to himself at the memory of that.

It still amazed him how, after all this time, things still burned so passionately between them. A man of his age and condition had no business enjoying the kind of robust sex life that he and Avery had.

Of course, Avery would remind him that she wasn't so far behind him, only a couple of years. Still, when it came to that, women had it far better than men, House knew that. And Avery was in far better condition that he was, anyway. It was only a matter of time before his engine finally broke down beyond repair.

He didn't like to think about that, not when he suddenly had so much to look forward to. No, it was far better to enjoy what he and Avery had spent the past couple of years building than worry about what might happen down the road. After all, Avery's parents were still alive, kicking, and apparently still in love. Perhaps that boded well for himself and Avery.

House was still deep in his thoughts as he rode the elevator to his office, stopping to scan in his badge before moving on to Diagnostics. He could hear Avery deep in conversation with someone, clearly letting the person know what an idiot he was without actually coming out and saying so. It was a special talent of hers, and people barely knew what had hit them until much later.

Tough but fair, kind, but not one to be crossed. These were the words he had often heard used to describe Avery when no one thought he was listening. He hated to think what words were used to describe him. No, he already had some idea. It didn't matter, anyway. He was used to it.

When word had gotten out about his and Avery's relationship, the PPTH gossip line had nearly gotten completely out of control. Eventually it had settled down, only to get rolling again upon news of their engagement and upcoming wedding. House knew there was still a pool going on out there on how long it would take for them to break up. Chase claimed zero responsibility, but House still had a sneaking suspicion that he had something to do with it.

House had long since lost his money in that pool. He had only given himself and Avery about six months before he did something stupid to blow it up. It was money he didn't object to losing.

He pushed through his office door to find it completely empty, the fellows nowhere in sight. Something didn't seem right with that scenario. Even Taub should have shown up by now.

House tossed down his backpack and coat before limping over to his desk, punching in a familiar phone number.

"Cuddy."

"Where the hell is my team?" House demanded. "And I thought I'd have a case this morning."

"Sorry, I don't have anything for you." Cuddy told him. "Guess nobody decided to come down with any weird diseases this weekend."

"Funny." House snarked. "And just what am I supposed to do?"

Cuddy let out a short laugh. "How about making up your _years_ worth of clinic duty? That would be a good start."

"Oh, you're on a roll this morning." House huffed irritably. "Not happening. I'm getting married in less than two weeks. My darling bride would be most upset if I came down sick because some moron sneezed on me in the clinic."

"Nice try, House." Cuddy laughed again. "See you down here in ten."

House simply hung up and limped out of his office, making a beeline for Wilson's. He threw open the door with a bang, startling the younger doctor.

Wilson let out a short sigh when House entered, regarding him with a resigned look. "Morning."

"Yeah." House plopped himself on the couch, thumping his cane between his legs. "Cuddy stole my team."

"Did she leave a note?" Wilson sounded less than interested.

"_No_, she didn't leave a note." House mocked. "She's holding them hostage in the clinic. Expects me to follow them. It's like she doesn't even know me. _And_…she has no case for me. Tell me _that _doesn't sound suspicious."

Wilson looked up, meeting House's eyes with a serious expression. "It doesn't sound suspicious."

The wheels were turning in House's head. Whatever was going on, Wilson was in on it, House was sure of that. "Right. See you later."

House heaved himself up from Wilson's couch and left the office, making his way to the elevator and riding down to the main level. From there it was a short distance through the clinic to Cuddy's office.

"Set my people free, Cuddy!" He bellowed upon entering. "And give me a damn case. I know you have one for me."

Cuddy merely rolled her eyes. "Your team is fine. Matter of fact, they're doing their jobs right now, which is more than I can say for you. And you've worked back to back cases. You need a break. Don't want to be worn out before the wedding, do you?"

House thumped his cane on the carpet. Damn her for turning his words against him. "Clinic duty hardly constitutes a _break_. I could very well die of boredom in there. Dangerous stuff."

Cuddy fixed him with a steady expression. "You're not getting out of clinic duty. Now get in there before I throw you in there."

House let out a little huff before turning and all but stalking out of Cuddy's office. This was one of those times where he needed to pick his battles, and this was one that didn't seem like it was worth fighting today.

He signed in at the desk, throwing the nurse a sharp look. "Give me a file."

The nurse arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything as she handed House a file folder. He called the patient's name, and a woman picked up a little girl, bringing her into the exam room.

"So what seems to be the matter with…" House glanced at the file again. "…Carly today?"

"She woke up with a little bit of a fever and a cough." Her mother explained. "The cough got worse and her fever started rising. That's when I brought her in."

House started examining her, checking her ears and throat before proceeding to examine her nose. Just as he put the scope in her nose, she sneezed hard, spraying House with a combination of mucus and saliva.

House groaned internally. Cuddy would pay for this. He would make sure of it.

# # #

The next few days passed without incident, or a case. House grew increasingly suspicious. He was even chased out of the ER by Cameron's temporary replacement when he tried to go through the case files. "Cuddy's orders. Sorry." The sharp-faced woman had told him with a frown.

Finally, on Friday afternoon, House was sitting in his office flipping through a medical journal, wondering what the hell he was going to do tonight. Avery was headed to Thirteen's for her bachelorette party, a group of them getting together for chick flicks and take-out. It sounded like Avery's idea of heaven, but House's idea of hell. Good for Foreman for putting up with that. House wasn't so sure he could.

A knock at his office door pulled him out of his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Chase waiting just outside. House waved him in with an eyeroll.

"What's up, Baby Daddy?"

"Not much." Chase's eyes shifted around the room. "You know the women are doing the bachelorette thing tonight, right?"

"Duh." House snarked. "Avery's talked about almost nothing else all week."

"Well…tradition _would_ dictate that the guys do…something." Chase finally dared to look House in the eye.

Everything finally clicked. House set down the medical journal and narrowed his eyes at Chase. "You little weasel."

Chase's eyes went wide, and he held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I didn't act alone."

"I know you didn't." House pushed himself out of his chair, bumping Chase as he lumbered out of his office and down the hall.

He threw the door to Wilson's office wide open, and it hit the wall with a resounding bang. Wilson nearly jumped a mile, relaxing slightly when he spotted House, Chase right behind him.

"I'm sorry." Chase spoke in a rush. "I tried to stop him…"

"It's fine." Wilson assured him. "Guess we should be grateful we kept it from him this long."

House glared first at Wilson, then at Chase. "You're both assholes, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, the assholes dragging you off to Atlantic City for the night." Chase spoke up.

House's irritation immediately dissipated. "You're kidding."

"I wouldn't dare kid about something like that." Wilson answered, finishing off his file and setting it in his outbox.

"So…how long are we talking here?" House asked warily.

"Overnight." Wilson replied. "Long enough to blow a bunch of money at the casinos, blow some more money on strippers, and get stinking drunk."

House pretended to ponder the idea, letting Wilson and Chase hang briefly before finally nodding firmly. "What are we waiting for? Let's get this show on the road."

"Seriously." Chase affirmed. "My free days are about to come to an end. I'm good and ready for some fun."

"Not your party, Blondie." House told him. "You already had yours, remember?"

"Yeah, who wouldn't remember a raging case of anaphylaxis?" Chase grumbled as he followed House and Wilson out of the office. "Bloody good times."

"Damn right." House answered. "And if you think _this_ is going to top _that_, you are sorely mistaken."

House and Chase continued their smack talk into the elevator and down to the lobby, finally ending with a promise to settle the whole thing in Atlantic City.

"Tell me something." House started in on Wilson as Chase left the hospital. "When were you two going to let me in on your little surprise?"

"I thought you'd figure it out long before now." Wilson chuckled and shook his head. "But we were going to tell you on the way out."

"Unbelievable." House snorted derisively. "I must be slipping in my old age."

"Must be." Wilson agreed as the two men separated at House's vehicle. "I'll meet you at your place and we'll take off."

House gave him a pointed look. "You don't think _you're_ driving, do you?"

"It's December in New Jersey." Wilson pointed out. "The Volvo's safer."

"The H3's got four wheel drive." House countered. "And it's a hell of a lot more fun than your stupid Volvo. I'm driving."

"It's your night." Wilson answered. "Do what you want."

House couldn't help the stupid smile that threatened to spread over his face. Now that he had gotten over his initial irritation, he had every intention of doing just that.

He dug out his phone and dialed Avery, waiting for her to pick up. She did so on the second ring.

"Hey, baby." She spoke over a murmur of background voices. "What's going on?"

"I'm being kidnapped." House announced. "Wilson and Chase are dragging me to Atlantic City. If you don't hear from me by this time tomorrow, call the police."

Avery's soft laugh carried into House's ear. "I was wondering when you'd figure it out. Have a good time, and stay out of trouble."

House froze before he could say anything else. "You were in on this, too? Just you wait until I get home."

"Oh really?" Avery teased. "And just what are you going to do?"

"You'll see." House growled as he started the H3 and pulled out of his spot.

"Can't wait." Avery answered. "Love you."

"Love you, too, babe." House responded. "Even if you did keep this big secret from me."

Avery's gentle laugh was the last thing he heard as he closed his phone and tossed it in a cupholder. House marveled at how everyone around him had managed to keep this little road trip under wraps. He had to admit, it was a pretty damned brilliant scheme on everyone's parts.

As much fun as it would have been to immediately start plotting revenge, he had a bachelor party to get to. _His_ bachelor party.

The smile crept over his rough face as he pulled out of the parking lot, music cranked full blast. This was going to be an excellent night, House could feel it. Maybe it wouldn't be as epic as Chase's, but then, nothing would be. It would be good, nevertheless, and House was looking forward to every minute of it.

# # #

House pulled into the driveway and parked, limping as quickly as he could into the condo and making his way into the bedroom. He had just started packing his backpack when the bathroom door suddenly opened, Avery emerging through a cloud of citrus-scented steam.

She rounded the end of the bed, resting her hand on his lower back before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hey, baby."

"Hey, yourself." House rose to his full height and took Avery in his arms, pressing kisses into her neck. "Damn shame I have this 'surprise' bachelor party to get to."

"Hmm…is that right?"

"Yep." House slid his hands up and down Avery's back. "I'd almost rather stay here with you and help you out of that robe."

Avery let out a soft laugh and wrapped her arms around House's neck. "As much as I'd like that…I have my own thing to go to."

"I know, I know." House huffed, dropping a kiss on Avery's lips before releasing her. "And I'm supposed to go pick up Wilson. Guess we'll have to pick this up tomorrow."

"Guess so." Avery laughed again. "Have fun."

"You too." House answered. "Get pictures of your drunken debauchery. Specifically of Thirteen and Schaffer."

"You are a hot mess." Avery merely rolled her eyes as she got dressed. "It is _not_ that kind of party. Besides, you'll get plenty of that when you get to Atlantic City."

"It won't be the same." House gave her a mock sulking look as he finished packing up.

"That's not a bad thing, baby." Avery finished dressing and pressed a quick kiss to House's cheek. "See you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you, too." He slung his pack over his shoulder and followed her out to the living room, where she was tugging on a pair of boots to go with her casual outfit of jeans and long sleeved t-shirt.

House couldn't decide how he liked her best. The woman looked good in damn near anything. Or nothing at all.

"What's on your mind?" Avery looked up at him with a slight smile.

"The usual."

She laughed and shook her head. "Go on and get out of here. I'll see you tomorrow."

House left her behind as he made his way to the H3 and fired it up. He immediately cued up his road trip playlist and pulled out of the driveway to pick up Wilson.

He pulled up in front of Wilson's condo complex and called his friend. On the second ring, Wilson answered. "Almost ready, House."

"Well, hurry up." House told him impatiently. "I need to know where the hell my party is."

Wilson hung up on him, and soon appeared at the door of House's truck, tapping on the window. House unlocked the door with a short 'hmph'. "About damn time."

"Like you were going to leave without me." Wilson rolled his eyes as he climbed in and tossed his overnight bag in the back seat.

"I thought about it."

Wilson chuckled as House pulled away, and soon the two men were engaged in idle chat as they drove. House's mind wasn't really focused on the conversation at hand, however. It was already racing ahead to the evening, wondering what awaited him when they arrived in Atlantic City.

It was a relatively short drive, and as soon as they hit town, Wilson started directing House to the hotel. The place looked very different in December than it did during the height of tourist season.

"Here's the place." Wilson pointed to his left, and House pulled into an underground parking garage, parking in the nearest handicapped spot and hanging his tag from the mirror.

"Caesars, huh?" House commented casually. "Nice."

"Oh, this is just the start." Wilson told him as they grabbed their respective bags and headed into the hotel. "Once we get settled, we'll head over to The Trinity to meet everyone."

"Everyone?" House was puzzled. "Who else is coming?"

"You'll see." Wilson smiled conspiratorially.

House turned the puzzle over in his mind as he tossed his pack into his room and returned to the lobby to meet Wilson. He figured it would just be himself, Wilson, and Chase. He didn't count on anyone else showing up.

They met back down in the lobby and made their way to the Irish pub. Wilson murmured something to the hostess, and she took them to a room in the back.

"Our guest of honor has arrived." Wilson announced. "Let the party begin."

House could barely believe what he saw. Chase was there, as expected. But so was Taub, lifting a glass of amber liquid in greeting.

Stephen and Devin had made it, too. House was surprised, but pleased. He nodded at Taub and limped over to greet Stephen and Devin.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" House asked them. "Avery send you to babysit me?"

"Hardly." Stephen let out a short laugh. "When your friend James called to invite me, I could hardly resist. Devin refused to invite me to his, so it's a pleasure to attend yours."

"There's a good reason I didn't invite you, Dad." Devin told him. "You know the guy who threw it for me. It was out of bounds."

House couldn't help the slight discomfort he felt. "Well, it's good to see you."

"You, too." Devin clapped him on the shoulder. "Can't think of anyone I'd rather see my sister with."

Now House was overwhelmed. He still couldn't get used to the idea that anyone would approve of him as a suitable choice for Avery. Hell, he couldn't get used to the idea that Avery chose _him_.

"Yeah, they're a pretty great pair." The voice behind House sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He turned to see a young blond with a scruffy beard, hands shoved in his jeans pockets.

"Jesus, they'll let anyone in here." House grumbled, even as he extended a hand.

"Good to see you too, Doc." David grinned and shook House's hand. "Looking strong."

"Feeling strong." House told him. "How's New York?"

David shrugged. "It's going. Kind of tough sometimes, but we're making progress. Getting a pretty solid fan base going."

They chatted a few more minutes until the curtain opened again. If House was surprised before, he was even more so when he saw who entered the room.

"You have got to be kidding me." House merely shook his head as Foreman approached.

"It's no joke." Foreman responded. "And yes, Chase really did invite me. You didn't really think I'd miss this, did you?"

"Guess not." House extended a hand to his former duckling.

Foreman glanced around the room before leaning in to whisper to House. "I really am happy for you, you know. You deserve this."

"Not sure of that." House responded. "But I'll take it."

Soon everyone settled in and ordered dinner and drinks, making conversation amongst themselves as the evening progressed. House had to admit that the whole thing was pretty cool. For once, he felt as if he was among friends.

"Okay, girls." House announced. "I assume there's more to this little gathering than the food and the booze. So let's get this show on the road."

The small crowd murmured agreement, and Wilson started getting everyone organized for the trip to the casino. Soon they were scattered throughout the casino, settling in at card tables and slot machines.

House and Wilson sat down at a blackjack table, a comfortable silence stretching out between them. After a few hands, Wilson was out of chips. He rose from the table, placing a hand on House's shoulder as he left.

He almost breathed out a small sigh of relief. As much as he was enjoying the company, House was ready for a little alone time. Just a little.

Eventually he lost the remainder of his chips and rose from the table, heading off in search of Wilson. He found him gathering the others at the bar nearby.

"Hey!" Wilson said a little too cheerfully. "I was just about to track you down."

"Right." House rolled his eyes, pushing his way through to ease himself onto a stool.

"Shots all around." Wilson told the bartender. "Pick your poison, everyone."

Soon everyone had a shot in hand, even House. Wilson gave him a questioning look.

"Don't worry, Boy Wonder." House snarked. "I already cleared it with my pain guy. Two shots, that's it."

Wilson nodded, his face smoothing out into a smile. "Okay, we all know why we're here, right?"

The crowd murmured agreement, and Wilson lifted his shot glass, taking a deep breath. "I know House is going to mock me endlessly for this, but…I'm happy for him. Beyond happy. I had no idea that asking Matthews to offer him a ride home would lead to a wedding. I'm damned glad it did." He gestured to House. "Congratulations. She's a great woman, and you're just…magic together."

"Now you're pushing it." House growled, even as he was pleased. The small crowd chuckled at the banter between the two friends.

"Don't care." Wilson laughed. "To House!"

Wilson drained his shot glass, the others following suit. He gestured to House. "Okay, your turn."

House gestured the bartender for a shot, and the man poured him Maker's Mark. His old friend, one of his closest companions through many a lonely night.

He hadn't touched it in over a year, not since the shooting and the change in pain management. Suddenly he was nervous, although he'd been cleared for a couple of shots.

"House?" Wilson's brows wrinkled in concern again. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." House snapped himself out of his line of thought. "Just trying to think of what to say."

Wilson nodded, and House took the opportunity to collect his thoughts. Finally he turned around toward the small crowd, a shot glass in his hand.

"This isn't what it looks like." He told them all with a somber expression, and the men responded with a collective chuckle. He took a quick breath, glancing around at the group that surrounded him.

"There's a couple of people who should be here tonight." He started. "My father, for one. We…didn't have the greatest relationship, but I think he would have liked to have seen this, if only to prove that his son, in fact, wasn't gay."

The next part was going to be tougher, he knew that. Not only for himself, but for several of the others gathered there. Finally he proceeded, not sure if he was going to be able to hold it together. "Some of you might remember a certain sports medicine guy by the name of Lawrence Kutner. He…left us far sooner than he should have." He swallowed hard, catching Taub's eye a short distance away. A brief flash of emotion showed on the normally taciturn plastic surgeon's face, and the other man glanced down at the floor. "I think he would have gotten a kick out of this. Probably would have been first in line putting this together."

House spotted a quick smile flash across Taub's face, then raised one shot glass. "To Kutner. Wish he had stuck around to see this."

He quickly drained the shot, following it with a silent dedication to his father. They had been distant at best when he was alive, but that didn't mean House wouldn't have wanted him here for his wedding.

"House?" Wilson was speaking again.

"Yeah?"

"Everything okay?"

"Stop asking me." House snapped. "Everything's fine. I'm just…you know, thinking. I do that from time to time."

"Just checking." Wilson answered. "I do _that_ from time to time."

House merely rolled his eyes. "So what's next on our agenda?"

"I thought you might ask." Wilson smirked. "How does a high-end strip club sound?"

House mulled it over briefly, then nodded. "Any strip club sounds pretty damn good to me."

Wilson chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder before turning to the rest of the small crowd. "Party's moving on, guys. Meet you at our next stop."

_Next stop?_ House couldn't help the smile that curved over his rough face. He pushed his growing sense of melancholy aside and hopped down from the barstool to follow his friends to wherever the next stop would lead.

His friends. Suddenly that had a very nice ring to it.

# # #

**You know what to do, folks. Read and review.**


	82. Friends And Lovers

**Back over here with all usual disclaimers. Don't own House or his crew, just my O/Cs.**

# # #

Avery heard her phone start singing "Whatta Man" as the laughter started to die down in Thirteen's living room, and she rose from the floor to take the call.

"Hey, baby." She answered.

A low chuckle was the only reply. "Into the wine already, huh?"

"Oh, hardly." Avery laughed softly. "I haven't even finished one glass yet. How are things going?"

"Excellent." House replied. "Just left the pub, now were heading on to some strip club. Wilson won't tell me where."

Avery couldn't help but notice the slight slur in House's voice. "Is everything okay? You sound…different."

"Everything's fine, babe." House answered confidently. "Just had my two-shot limit at the pub." He let out a brief chuckle. "Think my tolerance has dropped a little."

"That's not a bad thing, baby." Avery told him.

"No, it's not. It's just…you know, strange. Two shots used to be nothing." There was a brief pause, and Avery could hear voices in the background. "Gotta fly, babe. They're dragging me inside to watch hot women take off their clothes. I'm in hell."

Avery laughed and shook her head. "I'm sure you are. Have fun, and stay out of trouble."

"No promises." House answered. In a lower voice he murmured, "I love you."

"Love you, too. See you when you get home."

With that House ended the call, and Avery closed her phone and returned to the living room, where Cameron was in the middle of telling a story about House.

It was funny, Avery thought, how nearly every woman in this room had some connection to House. Between them, they had a wealth of stories about the man.

"I never saw him show that much enthusiasm for anything." Cameron was speaking as Avery entered the room. "I think that was the first time I really saw him smile."

"When was that?" Avery asked.

Cameron looked vaguely uncomfortable, shifting slightly on the couch. "Oh, it was years ago. House and I went to see monster trucks." She sighed a little. "I had such a crush on him then."

"I can understand that." Avery laughed. "So, monster trucks…?"

Cameron's expression relaxed somewhat. "He had these tickets to see one of the most popular monster trucks. For some reason, he asked me. I didn't question it. Anyway, we had a blast. He even bought us cotton candy." Cameron laughed. "I still remember him wearing that ridiculous trucker hat. Didn't suit him at all."

The murmuring and laughing filled the living room, and the assembled group agreed that they couldn't see House in a trucker hat. Avery shook her head and picked up a bottle of wine from the coffee table to refill her glass. She managed to get approximately a quarter of a glass, sighing in mock exasperation. "Alright, ladies, who left me barely any wine?"

Every finger in the room pointed at Cuddy, whose feet were tucked under her on the love seat. The administrator glanced around with a guilty expression as she sipped her glass. "This isn't what it looks like."

More laughter erupted as Avery took the empty bottle into the kitchen. As she threw away the bottle and opened a fresh one, she heard footsteps behind her.

"Now, Allison, you know you can't have any of this." Avery teased the younger woman.

A brief smile flashed across Cameron's face before settling into a worried expression. "Are you upset with me?"

"No, girl." Avery answered, baffled. "Why would I be?"

"Talking about House like that." Cameron explained. "We went out twice. First time was a disaster, second time was…you know, the monster trucks. He never asked me out again."

"That was years ago." Avery told her. "It doesn't matter now."

"I just don't want you to think that…" Cameron shook her head, brushing at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Dammit. Stupid pregnancy hormones."

Avery immediately closed the distance between them, wrapping Cameron in a warm hug. "You're fine. Relax."

Cameron let out a little sigh, and Avery released her, pulling back and taking Cameron's hands in hers. "You've become one of my closest friends since I came here. Even if you did have a little thing for Greg, it wouldn't matter."

"The thing is, I don't." Cameron told her. "I mean, I did, way back when. And he's still a handsome man, but…" She allowed a little smile. "I've got a pretty handsome man of my own."

Avery laughed at that. "And you two are making what will be two of the prettiest babies ever. Greg says that much prettiness will make the world implode, but I don't believe him."

Cameron joined Avery with a laugh of her own before giving Avery a slightly questioning look. "So…we're okay?"

"Absolutely." Avery told her. "Now, I need to get this bottle of wine out there before the rest of the girls start hollering."

Cameron nodded in agreement, and the two women returned to the living room. Schaffer rolled her eyes and let out a huff. "About damn time. I thought we were going to have to send in a search party."

Avery laughed a little and handed off the bottle to the young woman. "So, who else has a House story?"

Thirteen piped up from the floor next to the coffee table. "How about you?"

"Yeah." Schaffer chimed in. "How did you meet House?"

Avery smiled and gestured for the wine bottle. She took it from Schaffer and filled her own glass before settling in on the couch. "Well…I sort of met him when he burst into my office looking for Wilson during my first week. I didn't really meet him until a few days later."

She launched into the tale of how Wilson had asked her to give House a ride home one rainy night, and how that one ride had turned into a ritual. A ritual that was now leading them to the altar.

"And the rest, as they say…is history." She finished to a murmur of 'awws' from the assembled group.

"That's really beautiful." Cuddy told her. "So romantic, and yet so…House."

Avery laughed and curled up on the couch. "He _is_ capable of such things, you know."

"I think you bring it out in him." Cuddy answered. "I only ever saw him act this way around one other person."

Cameron nodded. "Stacy."

"Stacy." Cuddy repeated with a firm nod. "After she left again, he was never quite the same."

Avery gave Cuddy a baffled expression. "What do you mean, again?"

Cuddy's eyes went wide. "I thought you knew."

"I know about Stacy." Avery told her. "I know she left him after his infarction. I didn't know she had ever come back."

"Her husband was our patient." Cameron explained. "House did it as a favor to her."

"Stacy worked as our general counsel while her husband was undergoing physio." Cuddy continued. "Something…happened between Stacy and House. I don't know exactly what, but I have my suspicions."

Avery had her suspicions as well. "I don't know why you two think I'm going to get upset over Greg's past. Hell, the man's over fifty. He'd damn well better have a past."

Slightly nervous laughter went through the room. When it died down, Cuddy took the opportunity to speak up. "Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I'm very glad you gave House a ride home that day. He's as happy as I've ever seen him. Makes my job a whole lot easier." She looked thoughtful for a moment as she picked up her wine glass. "Actually, that's not true. He makes my job just as difficult as ever."

"He's a difficult, demanding pain in the ass." Thirteen added, and Schaffer murmured in agreement. "But he's not so…" She seemed to search for the words.

"Angry." Cameron supplied. "Bitter."

"Exactly." Thirteen nodded her head. "He's still the toughest boss I've ever had, but he's not so impossible anymore."

"Now, look." Avery told them firmly. "I can't, and won't, take all the credit for that. Any changes he's made, he's made of his own free will."

Cameron gave her a look that clearly said Avery was crazy. "I don't think he would have bothered to try if it weren't for you. If it weren't for you…he'd still be popping Vicodin and chasing it with bourbon without a second thought."

Avery shook her head. "It wasn't me specifically. It could have been anyone."

Cuddy was the next to disagree. "He doesn't let just anyone in. Clearly you were special to him from the beginning."

"I intrigued him." Avery laughed. "I was just another one of his puzzles."

"Except that he fell in love with you." Thirteen pointed out. "Love changes everything."

There was a collective groan as several throw pillows flew at Thirteen, followed by gentle teasing about her newlywed status. She managed to duck most of them with a wide smile before reaching for the DVD remote.

Soon they were deep into '27 Dresses', singing along with Katherine Heigl at the top of their lungs. In Avery's mind, this was far more fun that the bachelorette bash Ramona had thrown her in Chicago.

In either case, she was among friends, and Avery was grateful for those friends both here and there that had been with her every step of this journey. She hoped they would be along for wherever the journey took them next.

# # #

House groaned and stretched the next morning, blearily opening his eyes and squinting at the digital clock. It was later than he expected, though he and Wilson had plenty of time before they had to check out.

He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, letting them dangle before pushing himself up and wandering off to find his bag. The loud snoring from the next bed told him that Wilson was sleeping off everything he had imbibed, and probably would be for a while.

House smirked a little at the memory. The oncologist had probably drunk enough for not only the two of them, but for a couple of their other party companions as well. Good thing Chase and Foreman had accompanied them back to the hotel. House was sure that he wouldn't have been able to get the nearly boneless Wilson back to their room by himself.

By the time House showered, dressed, and reemerged from the bathroom, Wilson was awake, but barely. He squinted far more than normal, his hair sticking out all over his head. It took everything House had not to laugh at him.

"What time is it?" Wilson mumbled.

"Time for you to get your ass out of bed and get moving." House replied, easing himself into a chair to put on his shoes. "You're supposed to buy me breakfast."

Wilson looked baffled. "I am?"

"That's what you said last night."

Wilson huffed and rolled his eyes as he lumbered out of bed. "I was drunk. You can't hold me accountable for anything I said."

"'Sure I can." House answered casually. "But I'll buy, just because I'm in a sympathetic mood."

"My hero." Wilson grumbled as he stumbled toward the bathroom.

House leaned forward on his knees, rubbing his own tired eyes. It had been a great night, filled with companionship, laughter, and beautiful women, including a couple of lap dances purchased for House by the group. However, he was feeling the aftereffects in a bad way this morning. He couldn't even blame the alcohol for the feeling.

He let out a short sigh. His age really was catching up with him. There had been a time when he could stay up half the night, drinking and carousing, with no problem. Now simply staying out too late took so much out of him that it was barely worth it.

No, last night had _definitely_ been worth it. The traveling party, the joking and teasing between all of them, even Taub's awkwardness when House had purchased him a lap dance…it had made for a nearly epic night. Even Chase had agreed with House on that count.

He considered calling Avery to see how her night had gone. Knowing her, the night had involved a fair amount of wine. The woman was most likely still sleeping. Better to wait until he got home to wake her up in his own way.

Finally Wilson emerged, and the two men made their way to one of the restaurants at the hotel for breakfast. Chase, Foreman, Taub, Stephen, and Devin were already there waiting for them.

"There's the happy couple." Taub commented dryly, much to the amusement of the group. House responded with a single finger before sitting down at the table.

The conversation turned to rehashing the night's events, everyone putting the pieces together from collective memory. It turned into a extension of the previous night, with much joking, teasing, and sarcastic give-and-take between the assembled men.

Finally the breakfast broke up with a few jokes about the wedding and House's possible cold feet. House and Wilson checked out and made their way to the H3 in silence.

A light snow began to fall as they left Atlantic City and hit the highway for Princeton, House's IPod the only sound in the vehicle. It was followed quickly by Wilson's snoring.

One week and counting. House's heart beat a little faster at the thought. They were finally coming down to the wire, to the day they had been working towards since House had popped the question back at the beginning of the summer. If it had been up to House, the deal would have already been done.

Life had made other plans for them, however. In retrospect, House couldn't say it was a bad thing. Avery was able to have the wedding of her dreams, and honestly, House was okay with that.

He glanced at his left hand, the hand that would wear the symbol of his and Avery's devotion to each other for years to come. At least, he hoped that would be the case. House knew all too well how quickly things could change. He only needed to think of Stacy for an example of that.

But he and Avery had weathered many storms in their relatively short time together. If none of those had torn them apart by now, it was unlikely that anything would.

"Hey, you okay over there?" Wilson's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Fine. Why?"

"No reason." Wilson answered, shifting in his seat. "Thought I heard you getting a little…emotional over there."

House cleared his throat, a little surprised to find himself blinking away the moisture that had suddenly appeared in his eyes. "Nope. Not me. Must be some other guy."

"Right." Wilson rolled his eyes, an amused expression crossing his face.

They were silent for a few minutes before House spoke again. "You know we're only a week away, right?"

"Yep, I know." Wilson answered. "Nervous?"

House had to think about that. "Not…nervous, exactly. Still surprised, I guess."

"Why?"

House rolled his eyes in response. "Hello, have we met? Gimpy old son of a bitch who hates everyone. Who the hell would want to marry me?"

"Avery, obviously." Wilson laughed. "And you do not hate everyone. You were having one hell of a good time last night."

House smirked ever so slightly. "It was a hell of a time, wasn't it?"

"Almost as good as Chase's." Wilson nodded in agreement. "Only no medical drama."

House was silent for a moment as he pulled up in front of Wilson's condo building, turning to his best friend. "Thanks. You know, for the party and…everything else."

A warm smile crossed Wilson's face. "Of course." He chuckled briefly. "I have to admit, it was fun trying to keep our plans from you. I still can't believe we pulled it off."

"And I _so_ owe you." House told him. "If you and Kara ever decide to get married…you are in deep shit, my friend."

Wilson merely laughed. "Bring it on, House."

House couldn't help but chuckle in response as he watched Wilson trot up the steps into his building. He would plot his revenge later. Right now he had a fiancée to check up on.

# # #

Avery's Forester was in the garage when House pulled in, much to his relief and delight. He didn't see any other vehicles, so chances were good that they would be alone. Good.

He made his way into the condo, glancing around at the darkened space. Normally Avery would be awake and fully functional by now, but today would most like be an exception. House dropped his backpack by the door and started a pot of coffee before limping into the bedroom to check on Avery.

Sure enough, she was fast asleep, curled up on her side, tendrils of her hair working their way out of a messy bun. House quietly set down his backpack and toed off his shoes before slipping into bed beside her.

She murmured and stirred as House lightly stroked her cheek, those soft brown eyes finally opening. "Morning, baby."

"More like afternoon." House teased. "You're sleeping the day away."

"Fine with me." Avery answered. "It's not as if I have anywhere I need to go."

"True enough." House moved closer, sliding his hand off her face and wrapping his arm around her waist before moving in to capture her lips in a quick kiss.

Avery responded in kind, sliding an arm around House's waist and running her foot along his leg. The kiss deepened, their tongues tangling sweetly as their hands started moving over each other.

House pushed Avery over to her back, breaking away from her mouth to start a line of kisses down her throat while sliding a hand under her shirt. He took hold of one breast, running a rough thumb over the nipple, thrilling to the soft gasp he received in response.

He pushed up her shirt and captured the nipple in his mouth, sucking lightly before running his tongue over it, releasing it and working his way over to the other to give it a similar treatment. Avery let out a soft moan, arching her back and taking off her t-shirt.

"Mmm…good move, babe." House murmured, kissing her breasts all over before working his way down her stomach. He could feel Avery's hands in his hair as he shifted to the waistband of her sleep pants, sliding his hand inside and finding her warm, moist center.

He spread the folds of skin and started to caress lightly, the little nub of flesh hardening under his finger. Avery sighed and moaned, arching into his touch as he slid his finger just inside, moving it around in a circular motion.

House continued his ministrations as he kissed his way back up Avery's body, ending with a hard kiss to her lips, pulling back ever so slightly to watch her reactions.

She quickly tugged down her sleep pants, managing to kick them aside and spread her legs further, and House plunged his finger deeper inside, rubbing her hardening clit with his thumb.

Avery responded with a low moan, wrapping a hand around House's neck. "Don't stop, baby."

"Wouldn't dream of it." House answered roughly, dipping down to run his tongue over a nipple, pulling it into his mouth and sucking lightly. Avery's hand caressed the back of his neck, evoking a rough groan from House.

He pulled out of Avery, and she pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it aside, returning to run her hands through his chest hair as he hovered over her, supporting himself on his hands. She soon moved down to his belt buckle, deftly undoing both the belt and his jeans, her hands moving under the waistband of his jeans and boxers.

House thrilled to every touch, every sound, every look, and he tilted his head as he looked down at her. Avery met his eyes with a questioning look. "Everything okay, baby?"

House nodded, a slight smile curving over his face. "Just fine, babe. Everything's just fine."

He leaned down and kissed her hard, sliding his tongue into her mouth while she worked his jeans and boxers off his body. Soon he guided his hardened shaft deep inside Avery while she wrapped her legs around him, their bodies moving in familiar rhythm.

She released with a soft cry, wrapping her limbs around him as he continued to pump into her, coming not far behind with a rough moan before nearly collapsing on top of her.

He pressed a soft kiss to the space between her breasts before moving out of her, but she held him firmly. "Stay put, baby."

House was puzzled, but didn't question her. Instead he simply looked down at Avery, who lightly caressed his face, her hand coming to rest on his rough cheek.

She met his eyes with such an affectionate look that House thought his heart might just burst out of his chest. He couldn't help but be amused at the thought.

He turned his head and planted a kiss in Avery's hand, rewarded by a wide smile that lit up her whole face. "I love you, baby."

"Good thing." House teased her. "You're marrying me in a little less than a week."

Avery laughed softly. "Hard to believe it's coming up so fast, isn't it?"

"It's been a long time coming, babe." House answered. "And I love you, too."

Avery finally released him, and House lay beside her, wrapping his arms around her while she curled into his chest.

As he pulled the blankets over them, House thought that there was a real possibility that things couldn't get any better. He planted a kiss to the top of Avery's head and drifted off, visions of a future he had never imagined running through his head.

# # #

**As always, back over to you, dear readers. Read and review.**


	83. The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

**Back again with all the usual disclaimers. Don't own House and crew. Never have, never will.**

# # #

House was nearly a nervous wreck as he pulled into the bed and breakfast with Avery nearly a week later. Tomorrow was the rehearsal dinner, and the day after that was the big day. The day they had been working toward for months.

Their wedding day. House still wasn't entirely sure the whole thing wasn't some strange delusion on his part.

Beside him, Avery let out a soft laugh and rubbed his shoulder. "Baby, will you relax?"

"I'll relax in a couple days." House grumbled, even as he could feel some of the tension flow out of him. "How can you be so goddamn calm, anyway?"

"Because the planning part's all over." Avery answered as they climbed out of the H3. "Whatever happens from here…happens."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of." House muttered as he started dragging suitcases from the truck.

Avery took his hand, the leather of her gloves smoothing over his skin. He paused to look down into those soft brown eyes, those eyes that had captured him on their first meeting and had never let him go.

"I'm marrying _you_." Avery told him firmly. "Even if the wedding turns into a complete and utter disaster, as long as we manage to say those vows, we're walking out of here as husband and wife. Nothing else matters."

Avery was right, of course. Only the end result mattered. Everything else was just window dressing.

He took her hand and pressed it against his cheek before pressing a kiss into her palm and squeezing her hand. "You'll be walking. I'll be limping."

Avery laughed gently. "Walking…limping…it all gets us where we want to go, right?"

"Right." House answered, releasing her hand. "Just remember…I've given you ample opportunity to say 'no'. It's too late to back out now."

"I have no intention of backing out, baby." Avery replied, pushing herself up on tiptoe to give House a kiss. "I'm in this for the long haul."

What remained of House's tension simply leaked out of him at that moment, and he turned his attention to their luggage. "Well, what say we _haul_ all of this to our room, and then you can _really _help me relax about this."

Avery let out a soft laugh and picked up one of the bags, rolling it behind her as she carefully picked her way through the snow in the parking lot. House wasn't far behind, rolling the other suitcase and following Avery to the entrance.

After checking in, they were led to their suite, one even more luxuriously appointed than the one they stayed in on their first visit. House left the suitcase at the door and started limping toward the bathroom.

"You know where I'll be." He tossed over his shoulder. "See you soon."

He smirked at Avery's amused response as he closed the door behind him and started to fill the whirlpool tub. Soon it was filled with warm, swirling water, and House stripped down and climbed in, sinking in with a soft sigh.

"Hope there's room for one more." Avery's voice pulled him out of his reverie.

"Always room for you, babe." House watched as Avery stripped and gracefully climbed into the tub, settling against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

She let out a sigh, her hands trailing along his arms. "This was a good idea."

"What's that?"

"Coming up here a day early." Avery answered. "It'll give us a little time to relax before everyone starts showing up."

House pressed a kiss to the space between her shoulder and her neck and squeezed her a little tighter. "And…it gives us our last chance for sex as an unmarried couple."

Avery laughed and turned to straddle House. "Leave it to you to think of that."

"And you're telling me you weren't?" House countered, his hands drifting to her waist, curving over her rear.

"I wouldn't say that…" Avery answered, dropping a kiss on House's lips. "…but I won't turn it down, either."

House didn't let Avery get too far, capturing her lips in a deep, long kiss while drawing her closer. Avery reached down between them, wrapping a hand around his shaft and stroking, bringing him to full hardness before shifting to take him inside her.

Both of them let out a moan as they started rocking together, finding an easy rhythm as House continued kissing her hard, moving his hands to caress her breasts.

Avery murmured and shifted into his hands, and House broke away from her mouth to take one nipple into his mouth, rolling his tongue over it and sucking lightly before switching to the other, giving it a similar treatment.

Avery started rocking faster, wrapping her arms around him as House continued to play with her breasts, and he could hear her breath catch before her muscles contracted around his shaft, ending in a shaky sigh.

House wasn't far behind, thrusting hard with one more stroke before releasing, sliding his hands around Avery's waist and holding her close to him.

He let out a long breath and kissed the top of her head. "That never gets old, babe."

"Sure doesn't." Avery answered with a sigh. There was a brief silence again. "There's still so much to do."

"And you don't have to do any of it right now." House told her firmly. "Today and tonight are all about us. Worry about all that wedding crap tomorrow."

Avery laughed, hugging House and laying her head on his chest. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Hmm…nope, don't believe you have." House answered. "But I probably wouldn't object to hearing it again." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "That doesn't ever get old, either."

Avery shifted slightly so that she faced House, giving him a firm kiss. "I love you. And I'll be proud to walk down that aisle and become your wife."

House felt suddenly overwhelmed by the emotion that rose up in him, attempting to swallow the lump that had appeared in his throat. He took Avery's face in his hand and stroked her cheekbones with his thumbs. "To quote Jackie Gleason…'Baby, you're the greatest.'"

Avery's face broke out in a wide smile. "You're not so bad yourself."

House brought her closer, closing the gap between them with a long, lingering kiss, savoring every moment. He loved this woman with a fierceness that he hadn't known was possible, and within a couple of days, he would call her his wife.

Suddenly, he couldn't wait.

# # #

House and Avery spent the rest of the day and night together, revisiting the places they had found on their first trip here, talking about anything but the wedding. There would be time enough for that as their wedding party and other guests started arriving for the rehearsal the next day.

The following morning came far too soon for House's liking, even as Avery curled up next to him, draping an arm and a leg over him. He let out a little groan, rubbing Avery's arm as she stirred next to him.

"Morning, baby." She murmured.

"Not yet." House grumbled. "Too early."

Avery laughed and shifted slightly, dropping a little kiss on his lips. "Are you sure about that?"

"Hmm…" House pretended to ponder the idea. "Nope, not sure at all. You'd better try that again."

Avery slid over House until she was straddling him, leaning down to capture his lips in a long, lingering kiss. House immediately pulled her to him, sliding his hands around her waist and resting them on her lower back before slipping under her t-shirt.

House pushed her shirt up and off her body, tossing it aside before returning to caress the soft flesh, brushing his thumbs across the nipples.

"Mmm…baby…" Avery murmured, arching into House's touch, barely seeming to notice as House gently guided her to her back, continuing to caress and kiss her while moving a hand down her stomach and into her sleep pants.

Avery sighed and squirmed under him, tugging down her sleep pants and kicking them off, spreading her legs in response. House spread the folds of skin, exposing the rapidly hardening nub of flesh in between.

House could feel Avery's hand run through his hair as he traced his tongue along her clit, sliding a finger just inside. Avery's sigh became a moan as House plunged deeper, his tongue drawing circles around the hardened flesh.

He brought her as close to the edge as he could, stopping just short of taking her over, withdrawing from her and moving back up her body. Avery slid his sleep pants off on his way up, and he entered her while leaning down for a long, deep kiss.

They soon found their rhythm, meeting each other stroke for stroke, becoming a tangle of limbs as they moved toward release. Avery found hers first, letting out a soft gasp and clutching the back of House's head as he followed close behind, relaxing with a hard exhale before burying his face between Avery's neck and shoulder.

Avery's phone alarm started going off soon after, evoking a groan from House. "Still too damn early." He grumbled.

"I know, baby." Avery answered, playing with House's hair. "But I still have things to do."

"What the hell could you possibly have to do?" House argued, without much conviction.

"Just some last minute details." Avery told him. "I don't need you for that part. You'll be bored to death." She gave him a quick kiss. "But I do need you to get off me."

"Fine." House huffed, rolling off Avery and coming to rest on his back. "Hurry back."

"I'll do my best." Avery laughed, pushing herself off the bed and padding around the room, finding clothes and making her way to the bathroom.

As soon as the bathroom door closed, House let out a long breath. Their early morning romp had been fantastic, but did little to take the edge off House's growing nerves.

This wedding was important to Avery, House knew that. He didn't want to do anything that might screw this up for her. Despite his casual attitude, he wanted this to be a day they would both remember for all the right reasons.

He smiled a little at the note he had managed to sneak into Avery's suitcase when he'd momentarily distracted her. Hopefully she wouldn't find it until tomorrow. He hoped she wouldn't find it overly sentimental. House hadn't written anything like that since the 'prescription' he had written for Stacy years ago.

Avery soon reemerged, appearing at his bedside and sitting on the edge, leaning over him and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I'll see you later, baby."

"I'll be here." House answered, waggling his brows. "Probably in the same state if you want to join me in some…stress relief."

Avery laughed and shook her head. "You are a mess."

House couldn't have agreed more. It was a damn good thing he had this calming force at his side, and a better thing that she had agreed to marry him.

The door closed behind Avery, and House turned to his side, curling up under the covers that still held Avery's scent, relaxing with a little sigh.

Yes, he was a sentimental old bastard. Good thing his secret was safe with Avery. A very good thing.

# # #

Avery let out a long sigh as she made her way to the dining room for a quick breakfast before her last meeting with the wedding planner. As much as she was enjoying her time spent with House, right now she needed a few minutes to herself. Since she knew House would rather have a root canal than meet with the wedding planner so early in the morning, the early meeting seemed like the perfect plan to kill two birds with one stone.

She no sooner sat down with her coffee, muffin, and fruit bowl than Alan Weathers arrived, easing himself into the chair across from her with his thick binder.

"Doctor Matthews." He greeted her with a pleasant smile, extending his hand. "A pleasure to see you again."

"Same to you, Mister Weathers." Avery answered, taking his hand.

"Please, call me Alan." He replied. "And where is your handsome hubby-to-be this morning?"

"Left him sleeping." Avery laughed. "He's not exactly an early bird."

"No matter." Alan sniffed, slipping a pair of glasses over his face and opening his binder. "We don't need him for this part, do we?"

Avery silently agreed, and they began discussing final details, including changing spaces for all members of the wedding party, the menu for the rehearsal dinner, and the layout for the reception.

It was overwhelming, and Avery's head was spinning by the time they finished. Alan seemed to sense her emotions, and he reached across to pat her hand.

"It's going to be beautiful, Doctor Matthews." He assured Avery. "Don't you worry about a thing."

"But there's still so much to think about." Avery answered. "So many little details."

"That's what I'm here for." Alan told her firmly. "Your job is to walk in looking fabulous and wow that gorgeous man of yours. Everything else is my problem."

Avery had to admit, it was comforting to know Alan would handle the ever increasing number of minor details so that she could attempt to focus on her end of things. "Thank you so much for everything. You've been wonderful."

"Of course, Doctor Matthews." Alan squeezed her hand. "I'll see everyone tonight for the rehearsal."

With that the separated, and Avery returned to their room. House was still tangled in the covers, snoring lightly as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Perhaps she could learn from his example, Avery decided as she toed off her shoes and climbed into bed beside him. House merely murmured something unintelligible and pulled her close, his scent wafting over her as she fell asleep. For the time being, this was all the stress relief she needed.

# # #

"Okay people! Listen up!" Alan called out over the assembled group. "It's showtime!"

The small crowd settled down as Alan began his instructions. "Doctor House, you will escort the mother of the bride before you take your spot at the altar." Alan took House aside briefly. "There will be a stool directly behind you, should you need it."

House felt a slight flare of resentment before tamping it down, realizing that the stool was most likely Avery's doing. "Probably not a bad idea." He nodded firmly.

Alan nodded, a slight smile lighting his face as he gave House a slight wink before continuing. "Once the groom is in place, we'll start bringing in the bridal party. Best man and maid of honor, followed by our second groomsman and bridesmaid. Then…" He flashed a wide smile at Avery. "…the main event. Bride, escorted by father of the bride. Music ends, bride and groom face each other, vows, I do, I do, kiss, kiss, and then bride and groom go back up the aisle, followed by groomsman and bridesmaid, and best man and maid of honor. Ceremony ends, guests follow out. Everyone clear?"

The small group murmured in agreement. "Excellent. Let's get started."

Alan got everyone organized, with House and Catherine at the entrance, Wilson and Cameron directly behind them.

"Relax, Greg." Catherine laughed gently, rubbing his arm. "It's only the rehearsal."

"I am relaxed." House growled. "Wait until the real deal."

Catherine squeezed his arm. "You will be fine. I'll be right here with you."

House had trouble expressing just how much that meant to him. He had known this would be a difficult time, since his own mother wouldn't be here. It wouldn't be the same, but he appreciated it all the same.

He nodded firmly, not quite trusting himself to speak. Before he could open his mouth, Alan broke in. "Ready, groom and mom?"

They nodded, and they started moving down the aisle. "Slower, slower!" Alan chastised them.

"I move any slower and I'll be going backwards." House snarked, already irritated with the proceedings.

Alan gave him a sharp look and continued. "One and two and three and four…excellent, that's much better. Now, mom takes a seat. Groom, take your spot."

House proceeded to his spot, easing himself onto the stool and thumping his cane in rhythm with Alan's chant. His mind wandered until Alan's sharp voice broke in again.

"Bride and dad, move forward." He barked. "Remember, you've got two minutes to make this little walk. Make it count."

House thought his heart would explode out of his chest. If he was this bad now, he couldn't imagine what he would be like tomorrow. He'd probably have a heart attack on the spot. Good thing there would be a room full of doctors.

He heard Wilson chuckle next to him. "Calm down. You look like you're about to pass out."

"I'm fine." House snapped.

"Right." Wilson snorted. "This is why they have the rehearsal, you know. It's scientifically proven to reduce the rate of grooms fainting at the altar."

House rolled his eyes, even as he was oddly comforted by Wilson's words. "And this is why I chose you for my best man. You're a veteran at this."

"Focus!" Alan's voice broke in again. "Groom, pay attention. Your lovely bride is waiting for you."

House eased himself off the stool and handed his cane to Wilson, limping the short distance to meet Avery. He tried to imagine Avery in full bridal regalia and failed. His imagination wouldn't do it justice, he was sure of that.

Avery took his hands, squeezing lightly, a slight smile gracing her face. House could see the tears already starting to form in her eyes, and he brushed his thumbs over her hands in response.

"Better get that out of the way now." House teased her. "You'll mess up your make up if you do that tomorrow."

"Allison already said she'd carry the tissues for me." Avery laughed, blinking rapidly.

"Enough, my little lovebirds. Let's get this done." Alan sighed heavily. "Official starts the ceremony…any objections, et cetera, et cetera…you two say your vows, say the 'I dos', kiss the bride…"

"Got that covered." House immediately placed his hand at Avery's back, dipping her back ever so slightly as he pressed a kiss to her lips, much to everyone's amusement.

Everyone's but Alan's, who merely rolled his eyes at House's antics. "Now then, if the groom is done publicly making out with the bride…you two face the crowd, the official presents you as the newly married couple, you walk up the aisle and out of the room."

They did as directed, and House took his cane from Wilson before facing what would be their assembled guests. "Okay, go, go." Alan urged. "You're holding up progress."

House and Avery proceeded up the aisle, leaving the room behind, and House blew out a long breath. "This is ridiculous." He grumbled. "All this fuss for a twenty minute ceremony. Told you we should have gone to Vegas."

"It'll be worth it, baby." Avery wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed herself up on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss. "I can't wait to see you in a tux again."

House wrapped his arms around her waist in return. "And I can't wait to see you in that dress."

Avery smiled broadly. "I think you'll like it."

"I _know_ I will." House murmured, dipping down to kiss her again.

"Hey, hey, hey." Chase's voice broke in. "Save it for the ceremony."

House rolled his eyes as the wedding party broke into gentle laughter around them. Alan interrupted almost immediately. "Excellent job, everyone. Let's run through it one more time."

There was a collective groan as everyone assembled again, running through the ceremony one more time. One more time turned into two, and House was starting to get fed up with the whole thing.

"Are you okay, baby?" Avery rubbed his arm as they walked up the aisle again and out of the room.

"I will be." House grumbled, fishing around in his pocket for his meds.

"I'll go talk to Alan." Avery patted his arm and left him with Wilson and Chase.

House let out a short sigh and leaned on his cane, waiting for the pain meds to kick in. He was tired and sore, ready to just get this damn thing over with.

"You know, it's actually going pretty smoothly." Chase told him. "I'm not even going to go into mine and Allison's rehearsal."

Wilson nodded and chuckled in response. "Bonnie was a neurotic pain in the ass at our rehearsal. That woman freaked out over every little detail. You don't know how lucky you are, House."

"Don't care." House growled, rubbing at his leg.

Suddenly he felt a hand smooth across his shoulders, a familiar citrus scent filling his nose. "I convinced Alan that we had it down good enough. Ready to eat?"

"Of course." House nodded and took Avery's hand, squeezing lightly as they proceeded to the small banquet room where their rehearsal dinner had been arranged.

It was a casual affair, all of them gathered around the table, eating, laughing, sharing stories with each other about the bride and groom. House spent most of the dinner with his hand curved around Avery's, finally feeling the tension dissipate as the evening wound down.

They finally settled into bed that night, forgoing the traditional pre-wedding separation. House lay awake, still wound up, an arm wrapped around Avery in their usual sleeping position.

"Hey." He squeezed her lightly. "Are you still awake?"

"Mm-hm." She answered, shifting closer. "Can't sleep."

"I've got a solution for that." House murmured.

"Is that right?" Avery laughed softly.

"Yep." House answered, pressing his lips to hers and drawing her close. "What do you say? One more round of pre-marital sex?"

"Only one?" Avery teased.

House let out a mock groan. "Woman, you're pushing your luck."

"Good." Avery laughed, climbing on top of him.

House wrapped his arms around her, taking everything Avery was giving. He could do with a little stress relief himself. The more, the better.

# # #

**You know what to do. Read and review.**


	84. Anticipation

**Finally back with something. I thought this would be the last chapter, but the muse had other ideas. :D Enjoy, and as always, I don't own anything House.**

# # #

They slept late the next morning, having spent the night alternately dozing and conversing quietly in each other's arms. Finally Avery eased herself out of House's arms when she heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's your mother." Catherine's lilting voice carried through the door.

Avery opened the door and stuck her head just outside. "Give me a few minutes. I'll be right out."

She closed the door again and quickly showered and dressed, slipping onto the bed to press a kiss to House's cheek. He stirred and blinked slowly, focusing those bright blue eyes on her.

"Going somewhere, babe?"

"Out to lunch and then off to the salon." She answered. "The next time you see me will be at the altar."

House's rough face curved into a smile as he took her hand and brought it to his lips. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Avery's stomach fluttered a little at the move, and she leaned down to give him a kiss on the lips. "I love you. See you in a few hours."

"Love you, too." He answered quietly, lightly stroking her hand with his thumb. "Don't forget to take that little suitcase with you."

"I'll come back for it." Avery rose from the bed and grabbed her coat and purse, taking one last look back at the bed. House merely waggled his eyebrows and smirked at her before closing his eyes again.

She shook her head and left the suite, closing the door behind her and meeting Catherine just outside. The two women proceeded to the car, and Avery drove them to the salon, making idle chat the whole way.

Cameron, Cuddy, Hadley, Schaffer, and Alice were all waiting for them at the restaurant where they had decided to have lunch, and Avery merely laughed at the gentle teasing from the assembled group. They spent a good hour and a half just relaxing and enjoying their meal before it was time to move on to the salon.

Cuddy pulled Avery into a warm hug as they were leaving. "I'm so happy for you two." She told Avery. "He's needed someone like you for a long time. I'm just glad you two found each other."

"Thank you." Avery squeezed the other woman in response. "See you at the wedding."

Hadley was next with a hug of her own, followed quickly by Schaffer. Both of them expressed their gratitude for making House so much easier to work for before they all made their way to the hair salon down the street.

"Good afternoon, ladies." The receptionist greeted them cheerfully. "You're the wedding party?"

"Yes." Avery answered.

"Right this way." The receptionist led Avery to a chair, where a stylist draped the cape around her neck and gently took the headpiece, setting it on his table.

"So, what are we going for today, darling?" The stylist asked her.

"Just a simple updo. Nothing too crazy."

"Hmm." The stylist frowned as he played with Avery's hair. "Your ends are a little dry. Perhaps a conditioning treatment first."

"Oh, no, that's not necessary." Avery told him.

The stylist looked at Avery as if she'd lost her mind. "Honey, it is your wedding day. If there is _ever _a day to look unbelievably fabulous, this is it. You want that man's jaw to hit the floor when he sees you, don't you?"

Catherine interjected from the next chair. "Have it done, darling. What harm will it do?"

"Fine." Avery sighed. "Go ahead."

Avery spent the next twenty minutes under a dryer, flipping through a magazine while letting her thoughts wander. She checked her watch. T minus six hours and counting. The butterflies were already having a field day with her stomach.

"Let's rinse you out." The stylist was back, walking her over to the sink and rinsing her out before returning to the chair.

As he dried her hair, Avery had to wonder if the conditioning treatment had done any good at all. The stylist had his own opinion. "Feel that, sweetie. Soft as silk."

Avery touched her hair. She had to admit that it was a lot softer than before, although she was sure the treatment had brought out a million gray hairs that hadn't been there before.

"Yes, I know." The stylist fussed. "Not much I can do about the grays now. No matter, we will make you so gorgeous that no one will notice."

Avery suppressed a tiny laugh. Of course no one would notice the grays on her compared to the gray hair on her husband-to-be.

She sat in the chair and made small talk with the stylist as he swooped and combed and teased and sprayed her hair into an elaborate sculpture that resembled a modern art piece. When the stylist placed the headpiece in her hair, Avery nearly laughed out loud. "I look…absolutely ridiculous."

"Of course you do, sweetie." The stylist huffed irritably and rolled his eyes. "Your head says 'princess' but the rest of you says 'peasant'. Once you get that dress on, you will be _all _princess. Trust me."

"It does look lovely, dear." Catherine told her.

"Good, we agree." The stylist chirped. "Now let's get you over to the manicure station."

Avery sat down at the station next to Cameron, who was getting a simple French manicure on her neatly clipped nails. Alice had opted for a fill on her acrylics in addition to a French manicure.

Avery chose to forego acrylics, preferring a more natural look herself. She chose a base polish in a deep rose, and she had to admit that it was a nice look with the white tips. It was something she would consider keeping up full time.

"How are you holding up?" Cameron asked her while they were drying their nails a few minutes later.

"Okay, I think." Avery let out a nervous laugh. "I'm not sure lunch was such a good idea before this."

Cameron gave her a wide smile, punctuated with a little laugh. "If you weren't nervous I'd be worried. I mean, it's _House_."

Avery laughed a little more then. "I'm not _nervous_, exactly. Excited, I think." She nodded firmly. "Yes, definitely excited. Only a _little_ nervous. I just want everything to go well."

"Oh, it will." Cameron nodded. "It just won't be perfect. As long as you can accept that, everything will be just fine." She shook her head. "I'm surprised Robert went through with the wedding after the way I acted. I kind of gave new meaning to the term Bridezilla."

"I'm sure you weren't that bad." Avery assured her.

"No, really, I was that bad." Cameron replied. "But everything worked out in the end. It would have been better if I'd just let everything go in the beginning. Would have made for a much nicer day."

Avery took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm overtake her. Everything would be okay. Even if it wasn't, it would still be okay. As long as she and House managed to get their 'I dos' done, everything would be just fine.

She was feeling a lot more confident by the time she was taken to the makeup table. The makeup artist asked her a million questions about her wedding, her fiancé, her life. It turned out she was recently engaged, proudly showing Avery the diamond ring that her car mechanic fiancé had chosen for her.

They had more in common than Avery had initially thought. Both of their men had difficult childhoods, and they had largely steered their own ships through life.

"He's managing the place now, you know." The makeup artist told Avery proudly. "His boss says he wants Gary to take it over when he retires. Not bad for a 'grease monkey', huh?"

"Not bad at all." Avery smiled warmly as the young woman put the finishing touches on her makeup.

"There you go." The makeup artist beamed. "You look gorgeous. That man of yours is going to fall all over himself when he sees you."

Avery thanked the woman, giving her a quick hug as she left the makeup station. Soon everyone was finished with hair, makeup, and nails, and the group made its way out of the salon.

She sighed as she checked her watch again. Three and a half hours. This would be a long afternoon.

# # #

The unrelenting buzz of House's phone finally forced him to poke his head out from under the covers. He clumsily grabbed his phone and read the incoming text message.

_Meet us in the lobby in half an hour._ Wilson's message said. _We're going bowling._

House snorted as he texted back a response and pushed himself out of bed. Avery was long gone, having left with her mother for all the pre-wedding primping nonsense. He was grateful that he didn't have to go through all of that. Get dressed, show up, say 'I do'. Simple.

Simple, but not easy. It had been one hell of a journey to get to this point, and now House found himself with only hours to go before that walk down the aisle that would bind him to Avery forever.

He showered, dressed, and made his way to the lobby, where Chase and Wilson were both waiting for him. The wedding rehearsal still played as a continuous loop in his head, winding him up tight as one of his guitar strings. The tension must have showed on his face, because both Chase and Wilson grinned widely upon seeing him.

"Someone's nervous." Chase cracked, clapping House on the shoulder.

"Shut up." House snapped.

Wilson and Chase gave each other a knowing look, and House rolled his eyes in response. "Fine, yes, I'm a little…"

"Nervous." Wilson and Chase chorused.

"Right. That." House waved a hand dismissively.

"It's perfectly normal." Chase told him as they climbed into Wilson's car. "When I married Allison, my hands were shaking so badly I almost couldn't get the ring on her finger."

House barely heard Chase, caught up in his own thoughts. A hand on his shoulder snapped him back to reality.

"She's a great woman." Wilson told him.

"So why is she marrying me?" House grumbled.

"Because she loves you and wants to be with you for the rest of her life." Wilson sighed patiently.

House allowed a slight smile to cross his rough face. "And she's getting the hottest sex she's ever had."

Wilson rolled his eyes as Chase let out a short chuckle, exchanging cracks and retorts with House all the way to the bowling alley.

They soon got shoes and balls, and Chase set up the scoring screen. House found his mind drifting between Wilson's and Chase's smack talk and his own preoccupation with the wedding.

He snorted and shook his head. Only women got whipped up about this stuff, didn't they? He had to be reasonable. He had no reason to believe Avery would ditch him at the altar.

"House." Chase's voice snapped him back to the present. "You're up."

House shook himself out of his thoughts and gripped the ball, limping up to the starting line. Bowling required a lot of adjustments on account of the condition of his leg. It was better than it used to be, but it would never be what it was.

"Just throw the damn ball, House." Wilson called out behind him. "You're holding up progress."

House took a quick breath and swung back before swinging forward and releasing the ball. He managed to take out seven of the pins, a minor miracle considering the twinge he had felt when he let the ball go.

He absentmindedly rubbed his leg while he waited for his ball to return. The twinge was increasing, shooting little sparks of pain through his leg as he set up his second shot.

It went wide, but House barely noticed as he limped back to his seat and sat heavily. Wilson's brow wrinkled in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." House snapped, digging a pill bottle out of his pocket.

Chase arched an eyebrow at House, folding his arms over his chest. "Sure about that?"

House glanced at Chase, then at Wilson before glancing back down at the pill bottle in his hand, turning it over in his fingers. "This is really happening, isn't it?"

Chase and Wilson took a seat on either side of House, and he could feel someone run a hand along the back of his shoulders. Chase, no doubt. Wilson wouldn't have the nerve to touch him that way.

"Look, wherever Matthews is right now, I'm sure she's freaking out, too." Chase told him. "You're announcing your lifetime commitment to each other to a room full of people in a few hours. It's scary. But it should be."

House gave him a baffled look, and Chase continued. "It's scary because you both know how important it is. Neither one of you are making this commitment lightly."

House shook his head. "We've been together for ages. We signed a mortgage together. If that isn't commitment, I don't know what is."

Wilson let out a short chuckle. "It's different when you're just living with someone, and you know it. Marriage is for life."

House threw Wilson a sharp look as Chase attempted to stifle a laugh. "You know how ridiculous that sounds coming out of your mouth, right?"

Wilson rolled his eyes and clapped House on the shoulder. "Do as I say and not as I do."

"The credo of our entire friendship." House told him.

Wilson gave House a sharp look before rising to his feet. "I think I'm up."

He made his way to the lane, and House popped open the bottle, throwing back a couple of pills before shoving it back in his pocket. Chase still regarded him with a concerned look. "Are you sure you're okay?"

House nodded, rubbing at his leg. He glanced up to see Wilson take his first shot. The shot ended in a perfect split, two pins on either side of the lane. "That was a crappy shot, Boy Wonder." House called out to him.

"It's been a while." Wilson shot back. "Forgive me."

Wilson's second shot wasn't much better, going straight up the middle. House held up his hands like a football referee. "It's good!"

Wilson rolled his eyes while Chase let out a short chuckle, rising to take his turn. He sent the ball rolling smoothly down the lane, ending in a strike.

"See?" House turned to Wilson. "That's how you do it."

"Right." Wilson snorted before glancing at House. "Feeling better?"

"I will once this whole mess is over with." House grumbled, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "If it were my call, we would have run away to Vegas or Mexico."

"And deprive me of my one and only chance to be your best man?" Wilson queried. "Inconceivable."

"You're up." Chase told House as he returned from the lane.

"Think I'll sit this game out." House told him. "Wouldn't want to wear myself out before the wedding night."

Both Chase and Wilson dissolved into groans and laughter, trading a few comments back and forth. Suddenly House felt a little more relaxed about the whole thing. Maybe the wedding wouldn't be a complete disaster after all.

# # #

The changing room was filled with laughter and the sounds of rustling fabric as Avery and the rest of her wedding party started dressing. Avery was feeling more tightly wound by the minute as the countdown started in her head.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. She no sooner rose to answer than Cameron stopped her.

"You relax." She told Avery. "I've got it."

Avery thought she heard Chase's voice on the other side of the door, and she caught a few words. 'Pain spikes' was among them, setting off alarms in Avery's head.

Cameron was soon beside her, touching her shoulder. "Chase needs your room key."

"Why?" Avery was worried. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing major." Cameron assured Avery. "House had some pain spikes while he was out with Wilson and Chase earlier, and then he left his rescue meds in the room."

Avery arched an eyebrow in suspicion. "And he left his key behind, too?"

Cameron pressed her lips together. "Sounds that way." She sighed a little, patting Avery's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine. Probably just nervous."

Avery nodded and found her room key, passing it to Cameron. "Tell him I love him, and I'll see him at the altar."

Cameron nodded in response, taking the key and handing it off to Chase at the door.

Avery couldn't help but worry as she wiggled her way into her gown. She wanted nothing more than to check in on House herself.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Catherine's voice was behind her, zipping up Avery's gown. "Especially when he sees you. You look so beautiful."

Avery could see her mother's eyes shining, and she could feel the lump starting to well up in her own throat. She turned to her mother and took Catherine's hands in hers.

Catherine squeezed Avery's hands and met her with a warm smile. "I always hoped I would see this day."

Avery laughed gently, blinking away the tears that were starting to form. "I didn't think it would ever happen."

"I knew it would happen." Catherine answered confidently. "It was simply a matter of when." She squeezed Avery's hands again. "And I am so glad to see you marrying a man like Greg. He is everything a husband should be."

"Not always, Mom." Avery pointed out. "You've never seen him on his bad days."

Catherine simply shrugged. "No one is perfect. If all goes well, the good far outweighs the bad. I imagine that is the case with Greg, otherwise, would you be marrying him?"

"No, I suppose not." Avery answered. She pulled her hands out of Catherine's and gave her a long hug. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Me, too." Catherine responded. "Now then, let's finish getting you ready."

The room was abuzz with excitement and anticipation as everyone finished dressing and checking each other over. Soon there was a knock at the door, and Cameron once again answered.

"Hello, ladies." Alan Weathers entered the room, scanning over the four women. "It's almost showtime. How are we holding up?"

"The bride hasn't fainted yet." Alice spoke up.

"And neither have either of the bridesmaids." Avery answered.

"Success!" Alan smiled. "Okay, Doctor Matthews, your father will be here before too long to walk you down the aisle. Your groom and his party are just about ready to start entering the room." His cell phone started ringing. "Hold on just a moment. Hello?"

Alan's face turned into a frown. "I see, I see. How long a delay are we looking at?" He twisted his mouth at the answer. "Oh dear, that's no good. I'll keep the music going, and I'll meet you in a few minutes."

Avery's heart leapt into her throat. "What's going on?"

Alan sighed and took Avery's hand. "It seems your groom is having a hard time. Something about a pain episode?"

Avery turned to Cameron with a worried frown. "I thought Chase was taking care of that."

"He was." Cameron looked equally worried. "It might not have been enough."

Avery took a deep breath. "I'm going to go talk to him."

Alan's eyes went wide. "No, no. You can't see him before the wedding. It's bad luck."

"I never said I was going to _see _him." Avery told him firmly. "I just said I was going to talk to him."

Avery lifted her dress and headed toward the door, Alan close at her heels, fussing over the train.

She huffed irritably and gave him a scathing look. "Do you mind?"

Alan looked affronted. "Do you want to ruin your dress?"

"I want to make sure my fiance's okay." Avery answered sharply. "We'll deal with the dress when I get back."

There was a brief silence as Avery and Alan seemed to have a personal showdown. Finally Catherine broke the silence. "It is better to let her go. You must trust me on that."

"Fine." Alan threw his hands up in the air. "I suppose we'll deal with the consequences."

Avery left the room, making her way to the other changing room and knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" Wilson's voice rang out.

"It's Avery." She answered. "I need to talk to Greg."

Wilson opened the door just enough to stick his head out. "Not sure that's the best idea right now. He's a wreck."

"All the more reason for me to talk to him." Avery answered in a patient tone. "Now, gather everyone up and get out for a few minutes. We need to talk alone."

Wilson opened his mouth as if to respond, but seemed to think better of it. Instead he nodded firmly. "Give us a minute."

Avery could hear voices behind the now closed door, and she immediately picked out House's agitated voice rising above them all. Soon the men filed out, and Wilson squeezed her shoulder as he left. "Good luck. You're going to need it."

Avery took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Baby? It's me. Can you come to the door?"

She heard House step toward the door, and his heavy sigh. "Hey."

"Hi." Avery took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I hear you're having a hard time."

"Leg's hurting a lot today." House answered roughly.

Avery placed her hand against the door. Her heart ached for this man and the pain he was going through.

House spoke again before she could respond. "You shouldn't be marrying me."

"Why do you say that?"

There was a long silence. "I'm…probably the most screwed up person you'll ever meet. You could do so much better than me."

Avery pressed her lips together. Tradition be damned. House needed her. "Baby, open the door."

House snorted. "Isn't that, like, forbidden? Bad luck and all that?"

"Just open the door."

The door flung open, and what Avery saw nearly took her breath away. House was dressed in a simple, classic tux with a red bow tie and cummerbund. Even the worried expression on his face couldn't take away from how handsome and dashing he looked.

She held out her hands to him, and House reluctantly took them, brushing over them lightly with his thumbs, trying not to look at her. "You look amazing." He murmured.

"You too." Avery squeezed his hands. "Now then, about this nonsense you're trying to spout?"

"It's true." House argued, pulling away and easing himself into a chair, rubbing his leg. "Been thinking about it all day."

Avery eased herself into a chair next to him after closing the door behind her, covering House's hand with her own. "It's not true. Even if you're as screwed up as you say you are, I still love you, and I have every intention of marrying you. Unless you decide not to show, this wedding is _on_."

House turned over his hand to grasp Avery's, playing with the engagement ring with his thumb. "I just don't want you making a mistake. This getting married thing is serious business."

"I know that. Why do you think it took me so long to find someone worthwhile?" Avery answered, and she could see a hint of a smile on House's rough face. "Bryan was a mistake, I know that now. You are not. You're the most incredible man I've ever known."

House gave her a puzzled look. "I am?"

"You are." Avery told him firmly. "You're kind, you're passionate, you're strong, you're loyal, and I'm proud to be at your side as your _wife_."

House still stared down at their joined hands, swallowing hard and blinking. "You might want to save some of that for the wedding, babe."

Avery laughed gently and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "Are you going to be there waiting?"

House looked up, those brilliant blue eyes shining. "I suppose…since I don't seem to be able to talk you out of it." He seemed to scan over her. "And it'd be a shame to not show off all…that."

"Then I'll see you there." Avery told him. "How's the pain?"

"Better, I guess." House nodded. "I'll manage." He squeezed Avery's hand. "See you at the altar."

"I'll be there." Avery rose from the chair, preparing to leave. House still held her hand, staring up at her.

"I love you." He told her softly.

Avery's heart melted at the simple words. "I love you, too."

House smiled ever so slightly and released her hand, allowing Avery to leave the room and close the door behind her. The small crowd that was assembled all seemed to give her the same expression.

"Well?" Wilson asked impatiently. "Do we still have a wedding?"

Avery glanced around at the group before nodding. "It's on."

"Fabulous." Alan spoke up, clapping his hands together. "Places, everyone! It's showtime."

Avery took a deep breath as she allowed herself to be guided back to the dressing room, absently listening as Alan gathered the men together.

The show would go on. Avery couldn't help but feel relieved. She hoped House felt the same.

# # #

**Back to you, dear readers. Read and review.**


	85. Always and Forever

**So...I'm finally back to wrap this one up. Thank you for everyone who has reviewed, alerted, and favorited this one. This was my first chapter OC story, and will always remain near and dear to my heart. Thanks to all of you for coming along for the very long ride. As usual, I don't own any of the House characters.**

# # #

House let out a rough sigh after Avery left, staring down at his shaking hands. The fact that she had broken with tradition and come to see him before the wedding still blew his mind.

Avery wasn't running out on him. If anything, she was digging in her heels, even more determined to stay with him. House couldn't recall a time when any woman had stuck so strongly by his side despite his attempts to push her away. Even Stacy had only managed to stay for so long before she was driven away by House's anger and bitterness.

A knock on the door pulled House out of his thoughts, and soon the door opened, revealing Wilson.

"Come on." House waved him in. "I won't bite. Promise."

"You'll understand if I'm a little doubtful of that." Wilson laughed a little as he entered and closed the door behind him, shoving his hands in his pockets. "So I hear Avery talked you out of throwing away the best thing that's ever happened to you."

House glanced down at the floor. "You could say that." He glanced back up at Wilson. "You really think that about Avery?"

"Of course." Wilson nodded.

House couldn't help the slight smile he knew was creeping over his face. "She is pretty amazing, isn't she?"

Before Wilson could respond, there was another quick series of taps at the door. "Come on, Doctor House." Alan's voice called out. "Time to walk your future mother-in-law down the aisle."

House took a deep breath and pushed himself out of the chair, grabbing the cane that rested nearby. He gave Wilson a quick nod. "Guess it's time to get hitched."

"Guess so." Wilson gave House a quick, reassuring smile before briefly squeezing the other man's shoulder. "See you at the altar."

House opened the door, nearly running into Alan. The wedding planner took him by the arm and led him to where Catherine stood at the entrance to the room.

She greeted him with a warm smile and took his arm, patting him lightly. "I'm glad you're here. You look very handsome."

House felt a warmth rush to his face as Catherine laughed. Soon the music started, and Alan pushed them forward ever so slightly. "Go, go! The world awaits!"

The two of them made their way down the aisle, House ignoring the murmurs of the small crowd. Soon they reached Catherine's seat, and the older woman planted a quick kiss on House's cheek before settling into her chair.

House's heart thudded in his chest as he stood at the altar, watching as the remaining members of the wedding party joined him. Wilson and Chase each gave him reassuring looks as they found their places next to him, and Wilson moved in to lay a hand on House's shoulder.

"How are you holding up?" He whispered.

"Not puking yet." House whispered back. "I'd say so far, so good."

Wilson chuckled and squeezed House's shoulder before stepping back. House briefly glanced over to see Chase giving him the thumbs up sign. He wasn't sure if he felt reassured or not.

There was a brief silence as one piece of music ended and another began, the all-too familiar wedding processional. House could feel his heartbeat quickening again, a natural physical reaction, he told himself as his breathing sped up to match. Simply a natural reaction to stress. It had nothing to do with the fact that the woman he loved had begun her walk down the aisle to meet him at the altar.

He closed his eyes and tightened his grip on his cane in an attempt to calm himself. A hand grasped his shoulder, and a voice spoke in his ear.

"She's almost here." Wilson whispered. "You might want to meet her."

House opened his eyes and shook his head to clear it before throwing a glare at Wilson. He handed off his cane to his best man and limped to meet Avery and Stephen.

"I'd tell you to take good care of her, Greg…" Stephen told House with a warm smile. "…but you already do a fine job of that."

With that he squeezed Avery's hands and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek, nodding at House before taking his seat next to Catherine. House took a deep breath and took Avery's hands in his own.

"Fancy meeting you here." He gave Avery what he hoped was a happy smile.

"Indeed." Avery smiled warmly in response and squeezed his hands. "I'm glad you're here."

House was as well, but for some reason he couldn't get the words to come out. Instead he simply squeezed Avery's hands in response.

The official cleared his throat to get the couple's attention, and the pair took their place at the altar.

"Welcome to family and friends." The official began. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of Gregory House and Avery Matthews as husband and wife. If there is any known reason why these two should not be married, speak now."

After a brief silence, the official continued. "Gregory, if it is your desire to become the husband of Avery, repeat after me."

House took a deep breath and nodded, repeating the words the official spoke. "I, Gregory House, take you, Avery Matthews, to be my wife. In this moment I promise before these witnesses to love you and care for you all of our days. I accept you with your faults and your strengths, even as I offer myself with my faults and strengths." As an aside House added, "And we both know I have a _lot_ of faults."

A brief titter went through the crowd, and Avery let out a tiny laugh before House continued. "I promise to support you when you need support and to turn to you when I need support." He took a deep breath to gather himself before saying the last words. "I choose you as the one with whom I will spend my life."

Avery started blinking, her brown eyes shining with unshed tears, and House found himself attempting to swallow the lump that had suddenly grown in his own throat. He leaned toward Avery and whispered teasingly, "We'll never get through this thing if you start crying now."

Avery laughed a little and produced a handkerchief out of nowhere to dab at her eyes before nodding to the official. The official began Avery's part of the vows, and Avery repeated them.

"I, Avery Matthews, take you, Gregory House, to be my husband." She spoke, her voice shaking ever so slightly, even as the smile never left her face. "In this moment I promise before these witnesses to love you and care for you all of our days. I accept you with your faults and your _many_ strengths, even as I offer myself with my faults and strengths."

"Which is ridiculous." House interrupted. "Because the woman has no faults."

Avery gave House a meaningful look and squeezed his hands harder as the crowd chuckled. "I promise to support you when you need support, and to turn to you when I need support." She smiled softly and brushed her thumbs over the back of House's hands. "I choose you as the one with whom I will spend my life."

House couldn't help the smile he knew was spreading across his face. Here, in front of everyone they knew, Avery chose him. _Him_. He still couldn't quite believe it.

"Avery and Gregory, you have shared promises in our presence." The official spoke. "Do you have rings you wish to exchange?"

"We do." Avery answered, and House nodded. House turned to take the ring from Wilson before facing Avery again. Avery stripped off her long gloves, revealing the empty ring hand.

"Gregory, will you give this ring to Avery and repeat these words?"

House repeated the official's words. "I give you this ring as a reminder of the promises we exchanged today."

He slipped the platinum band on Avery's finger, admiring the way it shone on her hand. It would be a perfect match to her engagement ring.

"Avery, will you give this ring to Gregory and repeat these words?"

Avery took House's hand and looked directly into his eyes, repeating softly. "I give you this ring as a reminder of the promises we exchanged today."

The ring slid onto House's finger, smooth and cool, the weight at once unfamiliar and comforting. He squeezed Avery's hand just before she pulled away, the emotion rising in him once again.

"Gregory and Avery, you have exchanged your promises and given and received rings in my presence. By these acts, you have become husband and wife. According to the laws of the state of New Jersey, I hereby pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may now kiss."

"I thought we'd never get to that part." House declared loudly, dipping Avery before planting a long, lingering kiss on his wife's lips. Avery let out a surprised squeak before kissing him hard in response.

Finally House let her up, and the pair turned to face the friends and family that had gathered before them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce Doctor Gregory House and Doctor Avery Matthews-House as husband and wife." The official intoned, and the small crowd burst into applause.

House gestured to Wilson for his cane before turning to Avery and offering his arm. Avery took his arm with a wide smile, and the newly married couple made their way up the aisle and out of the room.

As soon as they were outside, House wrapped his arms around Avery and pulled her to him for a long kiss. He broke it off and looked down at her, the emotion that coursed through him threatening to overwhelm him once again.

"I love you so much, babe." His voice came out ragged and rough. "Thanks for not bailing on me."

Avery laughed softly and wrapped her arms around House's neck. "I thought you were going to bail out on me. I'm glad you didn't."

"After all the bullshit we had to go through to get here?" House asked in mock incredibility. "No way. I was just having…you know, a moment."

"I know that, baby." Avery answered. "I had no intention of giving up on you that easily." She pushed herself up on tiptoe to give House another quick kiss. "And I love you, too."

House responded to Avery's kiss with another lingering one of his own. "Hmm…do we _have_ to go to the reception?"

Avery looked at House as if he were crazy. "I _suppose_ not, but it would be the polite thing to do, seeing as all our friends and family went to all the trouble to come here."

House let out a short huff. "Fine, we'll go. I was just, you know, hoping to get a head start on the wedding night."

Avery laughed heartily at that. "Don't you worry. Somehow I think we'll have a nice long wedding night."

House let out a low chuckle of his own as he gathered Avery in his arms and held her close. Somehow he suspected the same thing.

# # #

Alan finally guided House and Avery over to the room where the reception was being held, preparing them for their grand entrance. House couldn't help grumbling a little at the interruption.

"Does it really have to be such a big deal?" He muttered. "Most of them were there for the ceremony. They know we're married."

"It's tradition." Alan told him firmly. "Now go."

The DJ gave them a quick nod before leaning into the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to our newly married couple, Doctors Gregory and Avery House."

Avery sighed slightly as the crowd broke into applause and cheers. "That's not what I told him to say."

"Let it go, babe." House answered as they entered the room. "It's one little detail."

Avery gave him a sharp look, but quickly seemed to relax as they took their places at the buffet, each of them loading up a plate before settling in at their table.

"Feeling better now?" Wilson asked as they sat down.

"I'll feel a lot better once I get some food in me." House told him.

Wilson merely nodded and returned to his own plate, and House took the time to glance around the room while he ate. He still couldn't believe so many people had turned out to witness what was essentially the signing of a legal contract.

The sound of clinking silverware broke him out of his thoughts, and suddenly Avery leaned in to kiss him.

"Is this going to go on all night?" House murmured as she pulled away.

"It's tradition, baby." Avery gave him an amused look.

House thought about that for a moment before he shrugged casually. "Any tradition that gives me an excuse to smooch my wife can't be all bad."

"Agreed." Avery answered warmly, kissing him again. "And I do like smooching on my husband."

_My husband_. A warm feeling washed over House at those words. Never in a million years did he think anyone would call him that.

"Ladies and gentlemen." The DJ spoke just as House and Avery finished their meal. "It is my pleasure to bring out Gregory and Avery for their first dance as a married couple."

The crowd broke into applause as they made their way out to the middle of the dance floor. House felt distinctly awkward when the room went darker and a spotlight shone on himself and Avery. He had known they would be the center of attention, but this wasn't quite what he had in mind.

"Are you okay, baby?" Avery asked in a concerned tone.

"Sure." House answered casually. "Just not used to dancing for an audience."

Avery took his face in her hands and looked him squarely in the eye. "Remember when we danced out on the deck when I came home from Chicago?" House nodded, and Avery continued. "Just pretend it's the two of us out on the deck. There's nobody else here."

"I can do that." House responded just as their music started.

Avery beamed at the music. "You really did decide to go with this?"

"I did." House couldn't help his own smile.

"Baby, you're the greatest." Avery pushed herself up on tiptoe to press a firm kiss to House's lips.

"Hey, that's supposed to be my line." House teased.

"Just hush up and dance."

For once, House did as he was told, moving along with Avery as the music played. _"For once in my life, I've got someone who needs me…someone I've needed so long…for once unafraid, I can go where life leads me, and somehow I know I'll be strong…"_

House looked down at the woman in his arms, the woman that was now his wife. He had gone years without the kind of love he had found with her, convincing himself that he had no need for it. Now that he had it again, he didn't know how he had done without it.

Now he knew that he didn't want to do without it again. With any luck, he wouldn't have to.

He pulled Avery close to him as the song ended, pressing a long, lingering kiss to her lips, teasing them apart with his tongue. The crowd whooped and cheered in approval, and House could have sworn he detected just a hint of blush in Avery's cheeks.

The rest of the evening was a blur to House, filled with well wishes and toasts and more dancing with his lovely wife. By the time they returned to their room, House was exhausted.

He flopped down on the bed with a long sigh and closed his eyes. The bed shifted ever so slightly, and he opened his eyes to see Avery sitting there, still in her dress.

"Don't tell me you're all worn out, baby." She teased him.

"I just need a little time to recoup." House answered. "Five minutes."

Avery laughed and pushed herself off the bed. House could hear the rustling of fabric and a tiny huff of frustration from Avery.

He pushed himself up, reaching over to the IPod docking station he had set up on the bedside table. As soon as he found the song he was looking for, he rose from the bed and limped over to Avery, who was struggling with the zipper on her dress.

"You should have just asked me for help, babe." House told her as he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. "Have you forgotten that part of our vows already?"

Avery turned to face him, reaching up to untie his bow tie and unbutton the first couple of buttons on his shirt. "You're exhausted. I didn't want to bother you."

House let out a low chuckle. "When it comes to undressing you, bother me any damn time you want."

Avery laughed softly in response. "You are a hot mess."

"But I'm _your_ hot mess." House told her.

"Always and forever, baby." Avery answered, pushing herself up on tiptoe to give House a soft kiss. "So, does this mean you've recouped enough?"

"Mmm…in a few minutes." House guided Avery closer to the bedside table and hit the 'play' button on the docking station. The soft sound of a single acoustic guitar filled the room, soon followed by the lyrics.

"_There's no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard…no song that I could sing, but I could try for your heart…"_

Avery's eyes lit up at the song. "I love this song! How did you know?"

"I didn't." House admitted. "I heard it while I was sitting in a waiting room one day. Looked it up and gave it a closer listen. It sounded like a pretty good fit for us."

"It is." Avery affirmed, moving in closer and swaying along with the music. "So why not this one as our first dance?"

"It's a little too personal." House answered. "I do still have an image to maintain, you know."

Avery laughed and gave him a kiss. "Your secret's safe with me."

"I know." House wrapped his arms fully around Avery and kissed the top of her head as the song played on. _"And there is no song I could sing…and there is no combination of words I could say…but I will still tell you one thing…we're better together."_

Avery let out a little sigh as the song ended, her hands moving up and down House's back. House's hands moved to the zipper of her dress in response, slowly sliding it down.

Avery stepped back just enough to allow the satiny material to fall around her, revealing an ivory satin merry widow attached to lace topped ivory stockings and a matching string bikini.

House let out a low whistle at the ensemble. "Damn, babe."

Avery laughed as she slipped House's jacket off his shoulders, starting to work on the shirt. "Is that all you've got to say?"

House pressed his hardening flesh into her. "That says it all, don't you think?"

"Hmm…I suppose." Avery finished with House's shirt and pushed it off his body before guiding him toward the bed and starting in on his pants.

Soon House lay across the bed with Avery straddling him, locking in a long, hard, lingering kiss as he found the hooks on the back of the merry widow, carefully undoing each one until it fell free, exposing her soft breasts. He captured an exposed nipple in his mouth and sucked lightly before letting his tongue roll over it, evoking a soft sigh and a moan from Avery.

He pushed the merry widow down as far as it would go, taking the bikinis with it. Avery briefly pushed herself off House to take off the stockings that were still attached before starting to climb back on top of House.

"Just a minute, babe." House pushed himself on his elbows to take in his naked wife from head to toe. She wasn't a young woman by any stretch of the imagination, but she was a stunning woman, soft in all the right places, as beautiful now as she had been the day they met.

Avery put her hands on her hips. "Are you done checking me out yet?"

"Never." House sat up and reached out for her hand, pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the soft skin on her stomach, resting his cheek against it for a moment.

He felt Avery press a kiss to the top of his head, and he pulled away just enough to look up at her. She looked down at him with a questioning expression. "What's the matter, baby?"

"Nothing." He told her, shifting slightly and pulling her down with him onto the bed. "Just in the mood to make love to my wife."

"What a coincidence." Avery answered with a little laugh. "I'm kind of in the mood to make love to my husband."

"Better go find him, then." House teased, attempting to get a hold on his emotions before they got the better of him.

Avery climbed on top of him, leaning down to give him a kiss. "I believe I just did."

House wrapped a hand around the back of her neck before she could get away, deepening the kiss while his other hand slid down her back to her rear, caressing lightly.

Avery let out a soft moan and pressed herself fully against House, her soft breasts pressing into his chest. House let his other hand move down, both hands now firmly grasping her rear.

Avery shifted slightly, guiding House's hardened shaft inside her. House's only response was a rough groan as he lost himself in her warm depths, allowing her to rock against him while his hands roamed all over her body, sliding up her stomach to play with the soft flesh of her breasts.

She moaned softly at that, arching her back slightly before running her hands down his arms and bringing them to rest against the bed. House shifted slightly, pumping a little harder into her as he slid his hands to her back, pulling her down to him.

He rolled both of them over so that Avery was on her back, rocking harder into her as she wrapped arms and legs around him. Her moans became higher pitched, her body tensing as she got closer and closer to the edge, and she finally went over with a soft cry.

House wasn't far behind, unloading inside Avery with a rough groan, relaxing with a long sigh. He pushed himself up on his hands to look Avery in the eye.

"So this is married sex." He commented casually. "I think I could get used to it."

Avery laughed and smacked him in the shoulder. "You didn't really think it would be any different, did you?"

"I guess not." House answered, shifting off Avery to lie beside her. "I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to find out."

Avery rolled to her side and smiled warmly at House. "Neither did I."

House simply looked at her, that same warmth from their wedding ceremony filling him again. He smoothed a hand over her side, letting his hand come to rest on her hip. "I love you, you know. Probably more than I've loved anyone in a very long time."

Avery moved closer and placed a hand on his chest. House shifted to his back, and Avery tucked in beside him, her leg thrown over his, her hand still on his chest. "And I love you, too. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather spend my life with than you."

House smiled to himself and pressed a kiss to the top of Avery's head. While he still didn't fully understand why she had chosen him, it didn't matter anymore. She had chosen him, and he had chosen her. They were in this thing together, forever. Somehow, that idea didn't sound so frightening to House anymore. Matter of fact, the more he thought about it, the better he liked it.

He drifted off to sleep, feeling the increasingly familiar weight of the platinum band on his left hand. If this was what forever felt like, he would gladly take it, now and always.

**THE END**

# # #

**And so ends another story. Feel free to leave a review on your way out, and thank you for reading.**


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